Supporters' warmth helped lure Flitcroft to Mansfield Town

Flitcroft has twice seen his teams given ovations by home fans after victories at Mansfield - once with Bury and once with Swindon, this season.

The 44-year-old has been delighted by how the club have been with him so far.

“It was the warmth I felt,” he smiled. “The appreciation and respect shown to me.

“They really made it known they wanted to take me as the next manager and try to get this club out the division. So I am delighted to be here.

“When you are at Swindon and you receive a call that you’ve been headhunted by a club like Mansfield, it was then a case of speaking to the chairman and Carolyn (Radford) and seeing the plan was and what the ambition was.

“There were quite a few factors including when we have played here in the past and done well.

“I can remember the time when I came here as the Bury manager and we won 4-1. Some of the football we played on the night was excellent and we got applauded off by the Mansfield fans.

“This season we came here and did really well and, again, we got the appreciation when you walked off the pitch and have to go go past all the fans – I’ve not had that as an opposition manager. So I felt that warmth.

“It’s also the drive, the ambition, the enthusiasm from the chairman, from Carolyn, the position they’ve got, the training ground being built next season – all that.

“The place is thriving. You can feel that and I have looked at the support all the managers have had here and I am going to get that support. With that support we can achieve something special.”

Flitcroft has brought his regular assistant manager Ben Futcher with him and said: “We are from football families. “Our family is steeped in football history and Ben’s is the same.

“We have the same values as the chairman and Carolyn, which is something that really attracted us to the football club.

“We live for football. We are football nuts.

“He is one of the hardest-working guys I’ve met in football.

“He is very loyal and we come as a duo. It was really important we did.”

Flitcroft knows he is taking over a talented squad

He said: “It’s a fantastic squad that’s been built. All credit to Steve for building it. There’s two players for every position.”

Apart from Futcher, Flitcroft said he would otherwise be keeping the backroom staff unchanged.

“I think it’s really important,” he said. “The staff here are very good. You can see that by the results they are getting on the pitch.

“We love working with staff and developing staff.

“The support staff have done an incredible job in keeping players fit and ready. It’s a nearly fully fit squad and an excellent squad.

“Of the players, have worked with Jacob Mellis and Paul Digby before. They are a group of players that are known, respected and renowned in this league. Will Atkinson too. I am fortunate to have worked with quite a few of this squad.”