Mansfield Town are set to appoint a former Championship boss, coming in to replace recently sacked Graham Coughlan after their winless start.
It was yet another dismal defeat for the Stags at the weekend, who are yet to pick up a win, drawing five and losing four, which placed them 22nd in the League Two table and just one point above the drop zone.
They also finished 21st last season with the final standings based on points-per-game due to the coronavirus pandemic preventing the campaign from continuing.
Graham Coughlan oversaw his side lose 4-2 last night, giving newcomers Barrow their first win of the 2020/21 season. That was the final straw for those at the top of the club and felt it is now the right time to change manager.
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A few days after picking up a draw against Bolton Wanderers, who now sit bottom of the League Two table, Mansfield are set to appoint Nigel Clough.
After guiding Burton Albion to 12th place in the table last season, he chose to step down and was replaced by player/manager Jake Buxton.
It ended his second spell with the club, having first joined them in 1998, in the second tier of non-league, before returning back in 2015 to guide the club to the Championship.
Asked if he fancied another go in the second tier, he told The Athletic: “I’d absolutely love to.
“But I’d like a fair crack anywhere. It’s not so much about the level. It’s about the sort of people you work for and the club.”
On his footballing philosophy, he said: “I want to attack. I think we were one of the top scorers away from home in the country this season. I want to be entertaining, and to play the way you’d want to see a team play if you were going to watch a match.”
His comments were backed up the fact that at one point, his Burton side’s 31 goals away from home was the second-highest total in England – behind only Manchester City.
? Watch Nigel Clough’s farewell iFollow Brewers interview
Full video available here ? https://t.co/kdxFOZXJpS#BAFC pic.twitter.com/r6lOPaGtVC
— Burton Albion FC (@burtonalbionfc) May 19, 2020
“I think some footballers are so sterile at the moment. Everybody is playing safe — back, back, back. I just want my team to play with freedom – within a framework; you still want to win and everything.”
On Clough departing Burton, chairman Ben Robinson said: “Nigel Clough has achieved phenomenal success with the club during two spells going back 22 years. During this time, the club has enjoyed the greatest period in its history including two years in the Championship, which for a club of our stature is a remarkable achievement.
“Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic is having a dramatic impact on all football clubs, meaning we have to make difficult financial decisions going forward in order to safeguard the club and ensure it still exists for the supporters and the benefit of the community for generations to come. At present we have no idea when football will be safe to re-start and whether we will be able to play in front of crowds or behind closed doors, which brings a high degree of financial uncertainty.
“It’s therefore with a heavy heart that after talks with Nigel, Gary and Simon we have agreed that their departure will help us meet these challenges. I want to thank them for all their hard work and dedication over their long association with the club.
Nigel Clough said: “It has been an incredible two decades for Burton Albion and it has been a pleasure to share those times with everyone and I want to say a big thank you to all the players, coaches, staff and supporters for being a massive part of that.
“From winning the Unibond, to gaining promotion to the Championship and then against all the odds surviving for another year was beyond all our wildest dreams.
“I have worked with the Chairman since 1998 and we have enjoyed a very long and successful working relationship and I want to thank him for all his support and to wish him and the football club all the best for the future.
“It’s therefore with great sadness that Gary, Simon and I have decided to step away. We are now looking forward to our next challenge in football wherever and whenever that is.
“We couldn’t leave the club in better hands than with Jake, who as captain has shown himself to be a respected leader on and off the pitch. It’s a great opportunity for him and there is no better club at which to make your start in management.
“We hope that by stepping away it helps the club with the financial pressures in these unprecedented times and that it will also help the club secure the jobs of as many of the staff as possible going forward. We are sure Jake will benefit from the experience and continuity of having as many of the current backroom staff as possible supporting him.”
2020/21 RESULTS UNDER COUGHLAN:
EFL Cup – 29 Aug 2020 – Preston 4 – 0 Mansfield
EFL Trophy – 8 Sep 2020 – Mansfield 0 – 3 Man City U21
League Two – 12 Sep 2020 – Mansfield 0 – 0 Tranmere
League Two – 19 Sep 2020 – Leyton Orient 2 – 2 Mansfield
League Two – 26 Sep 2020 – Mansfield 1 – 2 Exeter
League Two – 3 Oct 2020 – Newport Co 2 – 1 Mansfield
EFL Trophy – 6 Oct 2020 – Mansfield 1 – 3 Lincoln
League Two – 10 Oct 2020 – Mansfield 0 – 0 Stevenage
League Two – 17 Oct 2020 – Mansfield 1 – 3 Bradford
League Two – 20 Oct 2020 – Morecambe 1 – 1 Mansfield
League Two – 24 Oct 2020 – Cheltenham 0 – 0 Mansfield
League Two – 27 Oct 2020 – Mansfield 2 – 4 Barrow
MANAGERS SINCE PROMOTION IN 2013/14
Graham Coughlan: 17 Dec, 2019 until 27 Oct 2020
John Dempster: 14 May, 2019 until 15 Dec, 2019
David Flitcroft: 1 Mar, 2018 until 14 May, 2019
Steve Evans: 16 Nov, 2016 until 1 Mar, 2018
Adam Murray: 5 Dec, 2014 until 16 Nov, 2016
Paul Cox: 31 May, 2011 until 5 Dec, 2014
NIGEL CLOUGH’S RECORD
Derby County – 8 Jan 2009 until 28 Sep 2013 – 233 G, 78 W, 54 D, 101 L, 33.5 win %
Sheffield United – 23 Oct 2013 until 25 May 2015 – 104 G, 49 W, 30 D, L 25, 47.1 win %
Burton Albion – 7 Dec 2015 until 18 May 2020 – 228 G, 78 W, 57 D, 93 L, 34.2 win %
Total – 565 G, 205 W, 141 D, 219 L, 36.3 win %
Fans reacted with Mansfield set to appoint the former Championship boss…
Very good appointment for them
— Simon Marriott (@SimonJMarriott) November 5, 2020
Good manager. Mansfield should do well under him
— Mark Birtles (@MarkBirtles) November 5, 2020
Great appointment
— David Oxley (@davidoxley1982) November 5, 2020
Good appointment by the Stags. I’m adamant Nigel Clough will be the man to finally get them promoted to League 1! #mansfield https://t.co/frngmTepuc
— Cameron Gillies (@camerongillies_) November 5, 2020
Didn’t want him at Blues but I’m really surprised Nigel Clough has taken the job at Mansfield. Didn’t think he’d have to drop down to a club who are third bottom in League Two. Cracking appointment for them.
— Tom (@T_Owen1875) November 5, 2020
Very good appointment!
— An Englishman Not in New York #KBF (@king_simian) November 5, 2020
Class appointment exciting things happening wit Stags atm
— Jake Easom (@JakeEasom) November 5, 2020
Is this a wind up?
— Matt Shillcock (@matty_shilly) November 5, 2020
Best of luck to him too.
— paul kitchen (@superrammy) November 5, 2020
We (Forest) have a few players we could loan him. ?
— Steve Battlemuch (@Battlemuch4WW) November 5, 2020
What a fantastic appointment for them. Clough has done a good job everywhere he has gone.
— Frank Lunin (@FrankLunin) November 5, 2020
Good luck Nigel! Worked hard at Derby, successfully shipped out some dead wood and brought in some great players, not least the terrific @cbryson44. Hope he does well, got a lot of time for the bloke.
— Ross Lowe (@EnglishCopyChap) November 5, 2020
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