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LEAGUE TWO 18th FA CUP First Round
LEAGUE CUP First Round TOP SCORER Aaron Collins (8)80 Season Preview 2019-20 FourFourTwo
MAnSFIELD TOWn MORECAMBE
2019-20
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
FFTVERDICT
2nD FFT VERDICT
22nD
For the past two seasons, the Stags
have had a strong enough squad
on paper for automatic promotion- so it’s intriguing to see ambitious
owners rolling the dice on a rookie
boss. They’ve backed him, signing
Nicky Maynard and Andy Cook; last
term they hit a combined 40 goals.
With one of the division’s smallest
budgets and key players departing
each summer, it’s difficult to recall
a campaign in which Jim Bentley’s
Morecambe weren’t tipped to go
down. The club’s 13th consecutive
season here could be unlucky, but
they defy expectations every year.The big talking point among the fans
is academy manager John Dempster
taking the hotseat after David Flitcroft
failed to deliver us promotion. This is
Dempster’s first senior coaching role,
let alone management position. He’ll
be judged by the same standards, so
really has to hit the ground running.
This season will be different because
fans’ expectations have been lowered
as they regard Dempster as the ‘cheap
option’. I doubt the board’s ambitions
have changed, though.
The player I’d happily drive to
another club is Conrad Logan. I know
it’s hard to believe after his incredible
play-off displays, but he is a liability.
The best Stags social media account
is @shawma1 – iFollow commentator
and arguably our most dedicated fan.
The best away fans are Grimsby’s,
as they usually make plenty of noise.
The pantomime villain will be Ollie
Palmer. He hates Stags fans, and the
feeling is mutual.
Our key player will be Otis Khan
[above]. He was excellent before his
injury, but then criminally underused
upon his return. He’ll be chomping at
the bit to impress John Dempster.
Our most underrated player is Ryan
Sweeney. He didn’t get the individual
accolades that his colleagues did, but
he was still part of the division’s best
defence. He can play at a higher level.
Did you know that Field Mill is the
oldest ground in the Football League.
The one change I’d make to the club
would be to knock down the absolute
eyesore that is the Bishop Street Stand.
The opposition player I secretly
admire is Tom Pope. He’s getting on
a bit, but he knows where the net is.
Save the date for Notts Coun... oops.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is
that he’s an unknown quantity. He’s
done well with the youth team, from
what we know, but only time will tell
how that’ll translate into a senior role.
Although he seems a nice bloke, the
Stags’ supporters can be unforgiving.
If he left, he should be replaced by
Darrell Clarke. He’s Mansfield born and
bred, and he did well at Bristol Rovers.
We’ll finish 3rd.The big talking point among the fans
is trying to keep together the squad
that completed last season relatively
successfully in the end.
This season will be different because
after nine years, we’ve finally learned
how to win at home. Our poor home
form since moving to the Globe Arena
has always been an issue; it appears
we’ve solved that particular problem.
The signature local dish is the club’s
excellent chicken, ham and leek pies,
sold inside the ground.
The other recommendation for
away fans is to visit the prom and see
the Eric Morecambe statue.
I won’t be happy unless we can keep
attacking and play two upfront, as we
did from February onwards, which led
to us climbing up the table.
The one change I’d make to the club
would be to have a billionaire owner,
so Jim Bentley [below] could compete
on at least a level playing field with
most other clubs. I can dream, right?Did you know that we’ve had just five
managers since 1989, and Jim is the
longest-serving of all 92 league clubs.
Our key player will be Sam Lavelle
[above], a cracking young centre-back.
He’s a great leader, he reads the game
well and he can pass with both feet.
Our most underrated player is the
ex-Wales U19 international Jordan
Cranston, who arrived as a full-back
and became a goalscoring midfielder.
Look out for Lamin Jagne, a young
lad who broke through last season
and showed promise, but was then
seriously injured. He’s a prospect.
The best away ground is Bradford’s.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is
that Jim performs miracles in making
us competitive each year with small
crowds and a limited budget. He builds
strong team unity and togetherness,
and turns players’ careers around. His
inability to sign the players he wants
is a frustration, but you can hardly call
it a weakness.
We’ll finish halfway up, if we can get
[new signing] Cole Stockton scoring
and win more often at home. But at
the time of writing, we still have some
huge gaps in the squad.FAn FILE
SAM BINCH
@SamBinch