New Mansfield Town boss John Dempster meets chairman and players to sort futures

New Mansfield Town manager John Dempster will today meet with chairman John Radford and the players to start plotting for next season.
John Dempster, Mansfield Town manager.John Dempster, Mansfield Town manager.
John Dempster, Mansfield Town manager.

Academy manager Dempster was quickly installed in the first team hot seat yesterday after the shock sacking of David Flitcroft.

Once he knows his budget and the chairman’s targets for him, he said he can then sort out a retained list and prioritise targets for signing.

“I am due to sit down with the chairman to sort out the finer detail today and I am also due to speak to the players individually later on today, so they are my first two priorities,” he said.

“After that it will be planning and then recruitment, both staff and players, and really getting prepared for next season.

“We have some tough decisions that have been made but I am fully aware of the calibre and character of player that we’ve got in the squad currently and hopefully we can build on that and improve.

“I have a good knowledge of the players – I have watched he majority of games this season. I have spoken to first team staff and liased briefly with the chairman.

“We will release the retained list as soon as possible.

“I understand the players have been through a lot this season and just fallen short.

“So we have had to make some difficult decisions. But that’s football and we will crack on from today.”

He added: “I have been a loyal servant of this football club over the last seven years in different capacities and this new chapter is an exciting one and something I am looking forward to leading.

“I am aware of the expectations through being here for the last seven years. I know how the chairman works and what the board of directors expect.”

Dempster is unaware how far he is expected to take the club and how long he has to do it, but said: “I will be looking to win football matches. It’s a passion of mine and something I’ve managed to do as a player and as a coach. That won’t change.

“But I now need to speak to the people above me about targets and finance.

On new signings, Dempster said: “I have already identified potential targets. I have not had a lot of time since the decision was made, but there are targets in the pipeline, both staff and players.

“That are players I already have a knowledge of, externally away from the football club, that I rate highly

“Some of the football we played was excellent. The club is in a good place and I am proud to be part of the club. I always have been as a player, coach and academy manager, now as first team manager.

“I am now going to drive it forward. I’m going to lead it and I am looking forward to it.

“I will also be speaking to the contacts I have made in the game over the years about the quality that is out there.

“We will looking to add to this squad, which is already strong. We’re looking to improve it.”

On new backroom staff, he said: “I have spoken to two or three people already about potential roles in joining the backroom staff. I wouldn’t want to go too much into that until things are finalised.

“But they are close and the people I’ve spoken to have been excited by the things I’ve said about this football club, our owners and our board.”