Quiet January expected as Mansfield Town start to get injured stars fit again

Two-goal skipper Ollie Clarke celebrates his equaliser in Saturday's 3-1 win against Scunthorpe United. Photo by Chris Holloway/The Bigger Picture.media.

Clough has drawn up a provisional list of targets were they to be needed, but said: “We haven't spoken to the chairman as yet.

“We do have a list up but it will certainly depend on injuries.

“We are not great fans of the January transfer window. I think it's a tough time to try to do any meaningful business.

“It will all depend on who we've got fit. You set out your squad at the start of the season and, to be fair, if they're all fit, we are reasonably happy with it.

“Losing James Perch has been a blow for us. But we have two good centre halves in Faz Rawson and Will Forrester on the bench and we've got Richard Nartey coming back from injury. I don't think there is one particular area where we are short or desperate at the moment. Once Danny Johnson and Rhys Oates get fit we are quite happy with our striking options.”

However, one man they may agree a deal in advance with is John-Joe O'Toole, whose arrival on a short-term deal has co-incided with a five-game winning run before last night's scheduled game after going 14 games without victory.

Free agent O'Toole can play centre half or in midfield and Clough said: “We will certainly sit down next month and have a chat with him about what he wants to do. He is only on a short term deal but I think he has slotted in very well and scored a couple of important goals for us.

“He looks comfortable back there. It's certainly not a partnership we'd have envisaged at the start of the season! Obviously John-Joe wasn't with us and we wanted Oli Hawkins up top.

“I feel a bit sorry for Faz Rawson as the reason he missed one was to be at the birth of his baby, which is far more important, and he has been unable to get back in since. Sometimes football is like that.”

Stags head for Crawley on Saturday and Clough added:

“Crawley will be a similar test to Stevenage. They are good home teams and difficult grounds to go to. There's not a lot of space in them and it's difficult to create chances. You have to be tight yourselves and hopefully nick a goal.”