Glory at Mansfield Town only a matter of time says Farrend Rawson

Ahead of Saturday's trip to his former club, leaders Forest Green Rovers, he said: “I am a big believer in one step at a time, but the sky is the limit here.

“When you've got amazing owners like we have and a good gaffer with good players and the facilities, I would say it's only a matter of time.

“When I first joined I was shown around the training ground and the stadium and everything and it was amazing.

“It blew my mind for the level. The facilities, the stands at the ground and the fans are definitely leagues above where we are.”

Stags are currently only four points off the play-offs after nine wins out of 10 and Rawson put the recent upsurge in results simply down to hard work.

“It's all about work effort. I think everyone can see we are all working extremely hard and putting in all the hard yards on and off the pitch,” he said.

“We have some of the injured players back now which has helped a lot and the team spirit is at an all-time high and that's most of the battle.

“At this level in this league it's about working hard and scrapping for your team mates and every second ball, getting on the end of things and making block tackles. You can see from our results that's what we're doing.

“They have not all been amazing performances but they have been gritty and we've come out on the right side of them.”

Rawson said that despite a run of 14 games without a win their belief never wavered that this season could be a glorious one.

“We never doubted what we had. It was just fine margins and we just needed that bit of luck or one result to kickstart the season - and that happened.

“I said from the start with the squad we've got and everything around it, it is just a matter of time.

“I feel like we got a bit unlucky, didn't get the rub of the green, made some mistakes and some performances weren't where they should be.

“But we all had an understanding that if we get this right we will be looking up and not down. But it's one step at a time.

“We've put ourselves into an amazing position to go on and hopefully do something this season.

“But we've got to stick to what we are good at and what we've been doing which is working hard and doing the basics properly.

“It's been tough having different players in defence every week but it's no one's fault. You can't help injuries and illness. It just shows how good the squad is. There are players waiting to step in and do the job.

Almost two years ago Rawson netted twice for Forest Green in a 4-3 victory at the One Call Stadium.

But the big centre half has been delighted by his switch to the Stags.

“That was a while back so it's been put to bed and you move on. They are a completely different team now and we are a completely different team,” he smiled.

“I am actually from Nottingham and most of my family live in Nottingham, so it was actually moving back home.

“Me, my missus and my kids lived in Bristol when I was at Forest Green so it was a big journey to come back home.

“But we've settled in perfectly now. We are now around family.”

He added: “It was tough in Bristol as we were going through Covid. My little girl, who is now nearly two, didn't see her grandparents until she was nearly one.

“We were isolated with a young one. We've had another one now, a little boy, so it's been nice to make up for missed time and catch up. It's been lovely.

“Mansfield were always spoken of highly when I was growing up so it's strange to be back at home and playing for this big club.”

Rawson has loved playing in front of Mansfield Town' s noisy supporters.

“You make a tackle and sometimes you get more of a cheer than when you play good football – that's how much it means to them,” he smiled.

“You're putting your body on the line, making tackles and blocks, and they let you know about it.

“It makes you 10ft taller and drives the team on, pushes you on, and gives you that bit of energy that you may have been lacking in the last 10 minutes.

“The cheering brings it out of you.”

He added: “I think my own form has been okay. It's been a bit hit and miss.

“Obviously I have been out a little while with my missus giving birth. I missed a game and the lads were doing well so I had to bide my time again.

“Then I got ill. So everything came at the wrong time. But I feel I have been putting in some good performances, and there is more to come and I want to improve.”