Lowdown on the Opposition: Mansfield Town under Nigel Clough
In their first season back in the third division after being promoted in 2024 after finishing third in League Two, Mansfield Town finished 17th in League One last season, eight points above the relegation zone. With four victories, two ties, and four losses so far this season, the Stags are currently in 12th place in League One. Their recent performance has been inconsistent; in their last five games, they have won once, drawn twice, and lost twice.
They enter this weekend’s match fresh off a 2-1 victory over Rotherham United at home, which was won in the 90th minute by American striker Dom Dwyer. Last season, Reading defeated Mansfield twice: first, 2-1 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the Royals’ final 2024 match, and then, 5-1 on the road at the One Call Stadium on Easter Monday. Billy Bodin, Lewis Wing, and Jayden Wareham (two goals) all have goals.
Graham Coughlan, who managed the Stags for less than a year, was replaced as manager of Mansfield by Nigel Clough in November 2020. He played forward for Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Burton Albion throughout his more than two decades as a player. He also earned 14 caps for England. In 1998, Nigel, the son of the renowned Brian Clough, became the player-manager of Burton, continuing his father’s management career. He managed Burton in the non-league for more than 11 years.
In January 2009, Clough joined Derby County, where he managed them in the Championship for four and a half years. After that, in 2013, he joined Sheffield United, then in 2015, he returned to Burton, where his managing career had begun. After Burton finished second in League One, he led them to the Championship in his debut season. He kept them in the second division for two seasons before they were relegated in 2018.
Later that year, Clough joined Mansfield after leaving Burton in 2020. He managed the Stags to a 17th-place finish in their first season back in the third division and led them to promotion to League One in the 2023–2024 season. The 59-year-old is renowned for being a formidable tactician who expects his teammates to put in a lot of effort.
Eleven new players arrived at the One Call Stadium during the hectic summer in Mansfield, seven of whom signed permanent contracts and four of whom joined on loan. Goalie Liam Roberts, a former Millwall player, defenders Ryan Sweeney and Kyle Knoyle, and right-back Luke Bolton, who came from Wrexham, were all free transfers that strengthened the defence. Midfielder Nathan Moriah-Welsh arrived from Scottish team Hibernian for an undisclosed sum, while attacker Max Dickov and midfielder Regan Hendry were free transfers and their other permanent additions.
They signed season-long contracts with attacker Joe Gardner, midfielders Kyle McAdam and Jamie McDonnell, and three loan players from Premier League Nottingham Forest. Tyler Roberts, a forward from Championship Birmingham City, was their other loan addition. After serving his suspension, Ryan Sweeney might make a comeback to the starting lineup. Both Baily Cargill and summer acquisition Bolton are anticipated to lose time due to injury.
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