O’Neill Makes Real Life Stags Move!

Some say that the football manager game is just that – a game, however I disagree and now have proof that it’s a brilliant scouting aid, as one of my Football Manager Stags squad makes a real life move to Mansfield Town, welcome to Field Mill defender Luke O’Neill.

The 19 year old defender signs a one year deal at Field Mill just weeks after being released by Leicester City, Luke mainly plays right back but can slot in anywhere across the back line as well as play on the right hand side of midfield.

He made his debut for Leicester shortly after turning 17 and despite not being able to make a clean break into the 1^st team on a regular basis, has made a few appearances for the foxes mainly in cup competitions. Luke has knowledge of the BSBP following a loan spell with Kettering Town, making 19 appearances for the Rockingham Road club, also netting two goals after joining them in January 2011.

Luke is also capped at international level, playing twice & scoring once for England under 17’s. By signing Luke, Paul Cox has added another versatile, hungry & talented player to his squad for the 2011-12 campaign, Luke won’t disappoint us stags fans, his hard work & determination which has seen him hunted by a number of clubs in recent years, will help the stags have a solid defence. I also believe he is the perfect replacement for favourite Gary Silk and will make the right back slot his own.

Luke’s signature takes the player count for next season up to 18; he is Paul Cox’s 10^th signing (not including assistant manager Mickey Moore). With Paul Cox saying he’d like a squad of around 22, I’d expect two more signings in the coming days with the squad being completed by trailists which impress, starting with the pre-season friendly at Rainworth MW a week on Saturday.

Along with the arrival Andy Todd & Ritchie Sutton on Tuesday, it was revealed yesterday that Paul Cox had offered the position of Chief Scout to former Leek Town manager, Paul Ogden. This is a great appointment by the club, although Paul is relatively unknown to stags fans, his experience as both a manager & scout in the lower leagues will prove vital to the cause.

The 64 year old was responsible for Ritchie Sutton’s arrival at the club & has recently been part of the scouting network at Crewe Alexandra. The fact he’s managed Leek Town on 6 separate occasions spanning 40 years should not be seen as a negative or an appointment below us, a lot of fuss can be made over a headline & the perception it brings – this addition to the clubs backroom staff will be the most vital addition made throughout the season.

Rather than rely on clubs & newspapers match reports or a ‘freelance’ scout like managers have done in the past few seasons (spanning back to the days of the lesser twin), the appointment of a club scout will fill a massive gap & provide something you can’t be taught: instinct/ feeling.

Paul Ogden will understand how Paul Cox’s plays, how he coaches & what areas his squad are strong, he will then take this knowledge and rather than provide a general overview of a game, he will provide an in depth report on oppositions week points & how the current set of players can adapt to beat it.

Paul will also be watching players and helping stags get ahead when it comes to finding a gem in the market, something we’ve been missing since Ivan Hollett departed to Derby County. Paul Cox knows what he’s doing with this appointment; it will not prove a waste of funds, it’s another vital part of the strong foundations, on which success will be built on.

Paul Cox’s transfer deals may not have been 100% mouth-watering, his addition of backroom staff may not have matched the expectations we’ve set in our minds, but getting out of the conference takes an understanding of conference players & football – we’ve got that now, mix it in with hungry players & watch the stags flower blossom.

That 1^st pre-season friendly can’t come quick enough!

Current Squad & Management:

Alan Marriott

Adam Murray

Adam Smith

Tom Naylor

Louis Briscoe

Paul Connor

Rhys Day

Conor Higginson

Lee Stevenson (New signing – Eastwood)

Lindon Mikele (New signing – Eastwood)

Paul Bolland (New signing – Macclesfield)

Matt Bell (New signing – Port Vale [Reserves])

Anthony Howell (New signing – Alfreton) 

Ross Dyer (New signing – Forest Green Rovers)

Jon Worthington (New Signing – Bradford City)

Micky Moore (Assistant Manager – Joins from Solihull Moors)

Andy Todd (Player Coach)

Ritchie Sutton (New Signing – Port Vale)

Paul Ogden (Chief Scout)

Luke O’Neill (New Signing – Leicester City)

Pre-Season Schedule

DATE	Opponent	H/A	Kickoff
9th July	Rainworth MW	A	3PM
12th July	Nuneaton Town	A	7.45PM
15th July	Notts County	H	7.45PM
19th July	Doncaster Rovers	H	7.30PM
23rd July	FC Halifax Town	A	3PM
26th July	Hednesford	A	7.45PM
30th July	Boston United	A	3PM
3rd August	Ilkeston Town	A	7.45PM
6th August	Chasetown	A	3PM

If you can’t make it to any of the pre-season fixtures, fear not as I’ll be providing full match commentary on the away fixtures, plus updates from the home games on Takeover Radio 106.9FM or online http://takeoverradio.net/Media/Media_Player.html 

Sutton Arrives as The Re-Build Continues.

Signings are like buses, you wait ages for one & then two come along at once! First Andy Todd joined as player-coach earlier today, now he’s followed into Field Mill by 25 year old defender Ritchie Sutton... and after watching the press highlights video, there could well be another addition to the class of 2011-12 as the rebuild continues.

Ritchie joins the stags on a free transfer from Port Vale, for who he played 13 times for during the last campaign, Ritchie is the second dealing Paul Cox has had with Port Vale this close season after bringing in vale reserve team regular Matt Bell earlier this month.

New signing Ritchie signs a one year contract at Field Mill and arrives to boost the defence, capable of playing both centre back & right back – with the latter position being vacant after Gary Silks move to Grimsby.

Ritchie has a wealth of non-league experience, which doesn’t include a spell at Eastwood for those who we’re coming up with premature conclusions! Ritchie’s non-league experience has come at Leek Town, Stafford Rangers, Northwich Victoria, Halifax and Nantwich. He began his career at Crewe & after a spell in the non-league managed to gain some league experience with Port Vale.

If you’re one for weighing up the pro’s & con’s the pretty much balance themselves out – the pro’s? He’s highly rated by a number of league managers & supporters alike, when fit he appears to establish himself and perform at a high level keeping the others out. The con’s he picked up a knee injury back in 2006 & according to a former manager has a poor disciplinary record on the pitch.

I checked out the stats for Ritchie (keen to actually know something about our new players when I’m commentating!) & found that he has 13 yellows & 2 reds too his name, however not all clubs keep records (especially the further down the league ladder you go) & it is said that Sutton received four reds whilst playing for Nantwich in the 2009-10 campaign, missing the first 4 games of the season just gone (after signing for Port Vale) as a consequence. However I can’t find a news story which backs this up, so it may be fiction – if it’s fact: so be it, every player has to learn at some point, Paul Cox wouldn’t have signed him if he thought he’d be putting the stags at the bottom of the fair play league. In fact, what do bookings & sending off tell you – that the players reckless & careless? Or that the players prepared to put a challenge in to win the ball?

Ritchie looks a very promising player to add to our defence & despite his lack of league experience; he ticks all the boxes in what Paul Cox is building & therefore is a welcome addition to the stag’s family.

I await more news & not only look forwards to seeing who signs on the dotted line, but look forward to figuring out which trailist is which & what the new look youth set up is like – more on that next week!

Current Squad:

Alan Marriott

Adam Murray

Adam Smith

Tom Naylor

Louis Briscoe

Paul Connor

Rhys Day

Conor Higginson

Lee Stevenson (New signing – Eastwood)

Lindon Mikele (New signing – Eastwood)

Paul Bolland (New signing – Macclesfield)

Matt Bell (New signing – Port Vale [Reserves])

Anthony Howell (New signing – Alfreton) 

Ross Dyer (New signing – Forest Green Rovers)

Jon Worthington (New Signing – Bradford City)

Micky Moore (Assistant Manager – Joins from Solihull Moors)

Andy Todd (Player Coach)

Ritchie Sutton (New Signing – Port Vale)

Pre-Season Schedule

DATE	Opponent	H/A	Kickoff
9th July	Rainworth MW	A	3PM
12th July	Nuneaton Town	A	7.45PM
15th July	Notts County	H	7.45PM
19th July	Doncaster Rovers	H	7.30PM
23rd July	FC Halifax Town	A	3PM
26th July	Hednesford	A	7.45PM
30th July	Boston United	A	3PM
3rd August	Ilkeston Town	A	7.45PM
6th August	Chasetown	A	3PM

Takeover Radio 106.9FM will have full match commentary on ALL away fixtures & regular updates from the home games

Backroom Staff Completed By Todd

The wait for an assistant manager to arrive seemed like ages, but last week Micky Moore arrived to put an end to the waiting, and with only one part of the backroom staff left to fill following Moore’s arrival, the question was – who will the new player coach be?

The question is now answered as Andy Todd arrives at Field Mill to complete Paul Cox’s backroom staff. The 32 year old midfield/ forward has previous with Paul Cox in the form of two spells as Eastwood Town, which included Todd netting 12 goals during his second, most recent spell, will the coronation park outfit.

Not to be confused with the other Andy Todd, last seen playing for Oldham, son of Derby legend Colin Todd – Mansfield’s new Andy has a wealth of experience both in & out of the football league and will provide more vital assets to the Mansfield Town FC promotion push 2011-12.

Born in Nottingham, Andy started his career at Nottingham Forest as a trainee; post forest Andy has plied his trade for Scarborough, Eastwood, Worksop, Hucknall, Burton & Rotherham. Andy has also played for advert famous Accrington Stanley (who are they- Exactly!) where he achieved promotion from the conference, aiding to Stanley’s cause by bagging 16 goals in around 60 appearances between 2006-07.

Andy’s arrival at the club again boosts my believe that the stags can go far this season, Paul Cox quoted in his first ever interview that ‘Success is built on strong foundations’ he’s gone onto sign some very able & hungry to succeed players, an assistant manager who has a decent record of getting results, and now, a player coach who brings an experienced head to the table. Todd has worked with some successful managers down the years; Todd will have picked up their methods & ideas and will hopefully bring them to Field Mill & help drive the club forward.

On the playing side of things, Todd is a midfielder which of course brings the reaction ‘not another one!’ fear not, he can play wide as well as upfront & will provide competition for places. As for the Eastwood connection, that can only be described as a good thing, he’s worked with Cox & understands the way he works and will help transfer that successful work ethic to the playing squad.

Going back to the quote ‘Success is built on strong foundations’ Paul Cox has now got the foundations in place with his backroom staff, people who share the same vision & have the ability to make it work – the next thing on the list? It’s the fixtures and fittings, I’m sure they’ll be arriving in the coming days.

The countdown to pre-season continues, a few more names to the squad list would boost the adrenaline a little more, add to it the fact my stags will be back as well as commentating, you’ve got a child on Christmas eve the night before we take on Rainworth!

The fixtures are due to be released next Tuesday too, another thing to look forward too, the only thing that annoys me is the waiting around, the anticipation makes each minute seem like an hour! Ah well, it’ll be worth it in the end!

Please find the squad list updated plus the pre-season fixture list below.

Current Squad:

Alan Marriott

Adam Murray

Adam Smith

Tom Naylor

Louis Briscoe

Paul Connor

Rhys Day

Conor Higginson

Lee Stevenson (New signing – Eastwood)

Lindon Mikele (New signing – Eastwood)

Paul Bolland (New signing – Macclesfield)

Matt Bell (New signing – Port Vale [Reserves])

Anthony Howell (New signing – Alfreton) 

Ross Dyer (New signing – Forest Green Rovers)

Jon Worthington (New Signing – Bradford City)

Micky Moore (Assistant Manager – Joins from Solihull Moors)

Andy Todd (Player Coach)

Pre-Season Schedule

DATE	Opponent	H/A	Kickoff
9th July	Rainworth MW	A	3PM
12th July	Nuneaton Town	A	7.45PM
15th July	Notts County	H	7.45PM
19th July	Doncaster Rovers	H	7.30PM
23rd July	FC Halifax Town	A	3PM
26th July	Hednesford	A	7.45PM
30th July	Boston United	A	3PM
3rd August	Ilkeston Town	A	7.45PM
6th August	Chasetown	A	3PM

Takeover Radio 106.9FM will have full match commentary on ALL away fixtures & regular updates from the home games