Radfords plea for backing as Stags face crunch game

Mansfield Town chairman John Radford has called on football fans from all over the county to help the Stags take another step towards the play-offs this Saturday when title-chasing Portsmouth visit the One Call Stadium.
The Radfords ar this week's special press conference.The Radfords ar this week's special press conference.
The Radfords ar this week's special press conference.

The chairman and chief executive Carolyn Radford made the plea at a special press conference at the One Call Stadium ahead of a huge weekend for the club.

The Stags are just one point and one place outside the coveted top seven and Radford said: “It would be nice if the people of Nottinghamshire came down and helped support the club and gave us that chance to go down to that last game of the season.

“You can start to feel this club going places and we’re so excited about this next game and the games after. Every game feels like the biggest game of the season.

“It’s all about the next game. If we can beat Portsmouth we’re in with a chance when we go down to Crawley and it’s just so exciting seeing how the team has developed over the last six months.

“We just don’t want to get too excited as the highs and the lows are just so extreme. It’s the same for the directors of the other clubs. They’ve got the same passion. The amount of effort we put in to getting the club to this stage and to where it is, if we lose on Saturday it will hurt us.

“But we’ll dust ourselves off and carry on. But if we win on Saturday, it means we’ve got the same trauma to go through next game.

“It would be a little sweeter if we were playing Portsmouth and they couldn’t do anything about the title, but they will come here wanting to win. Their fans will get behind them as they want to be champions as we would if we were in their position.”

Chief executive Carolyn Radford added: “I am so nervous I can’t breath during the matches. I truly believe we can do it and I just want everyone to get behind us and come to the game. It’s so important.

“We want to pack the stadium. Portsmouth are very vocal as it is so we are hoping we can match their voices and hopefully be triumphant.

“There is a real buzz around the club at the moment. It does feel like that time when we got promoted. It’s that same energy that I’m feeling around the place.

“If we can win on Saturday and win at Crawley I can’t imagine how it would feel.

“We want to be the pride of Nottinghamshire. We just want that magical little bit of Lady Luck to go our way and hopefully our dream can stay alive.

“Please come down and support us. Let’s have an electric atmosphere at the ground. I am sure the players will make us proud.”