Cox calls on minority of Stags fans to get off players’ backs

Lee Stevenson, who has scored in three of the Stags’ last four games, Ollie Palmer, Anthony Howell, James Jennings and Ritchie Sutton have all taken some fearsome flak from the fans this season and Cox said: “Our supporters have been magnificent, we took 600 down to Portsmouth where all you could hear was Mansfield Town.

“But some of the players have had some stick which, although I know it is a game of opinions, I think has been unwarranted.

“Lee Stevenson is becoming a one goal every two games or one in three player at this level. I have scoured the market for a centre forward recently and know the figures being banded about. So sometimes we should be careful.

“Sometimes what they need is a pat on the back like they got last Saturday which can be worth a million pounds to these lads.

“They want to be successful for the club and have not gone out in any game this season and strolled around and thought they had arrived. They have worked really hard.”