Stags boss still has hands tied over a loan striker

Cox was thwarted in his plans to bring in a striker during the January window when club chairman John Radford announced he was having to reduce the amount of money he puts into Mansfield Town from his One Call company.

The manager was then told he could bring in a striker when the loan window reopened, but he has now been told he needs to free up more money first.

“It is going to be a process of one in, one out,” he said. “I have been told we need to get one or two players out before we can bring one in at the minute so nothing is happening yet, though we are working hard in both directions, trying to free up a bit of money.

“I have circulated names and spoken to individual players and told them they can go out on loan with a view to helping themselves find a club for next season.

“It is a bit frustrating but I understand it. I am not going to cry about it. I just have to get on with it.

“The most important thing is the football club. If we have to cut out cloth accordingly then that’s what we will do.

“As long as I know where I am going then I can focus on the squad we have got and help to improve them. But I won’t backtrack on what I have said that a fresh face or two can sometime give a bit of a lift and a fresh impetus to a club.”