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The transfer window has now slammed shut until the summer as the Stags have made some promotion worthy acquisitions during the last month.
After going unbeaten in the month of January, Nigel Clough knew that a few players needed to be moved on so that he could sign reinforcements in their places.
With John-Joe O’Toole’s contract expiring at the end of the month, the Stags boss needed to tie down one of his most influential players on a longer deal.
Here’s a more in-depth look at all of the business done by Mansfield Town heading into the final half of the league season.
Youngsters going out on loan
Tyrese Sinclair (Scunthorpe United), James Clarke (Solihull Moors), George Cooper (Kettering Town), Jaden Charles (Nuneaton Borough), Nathan Caine (Ilkeston Town), Josh Scott (Frickley Athletic) and Keaton Ward (Telford United) have all left the club on short-term loan deals.
All of these players have been in and around the first-team but need vital minutes to keep up their match sharpness.
Clarke has extended his loan move with Solihull Moors until the end of the season. The full-back has been a vital part in the Moors’ rise up the National League table.
Sinclair has been thrown into the deep end as he looks to help the Iron retain their League Two status. The forward needs game time under his belt with the youngster not as confident as he was when he made his breakthrough into the Stags’ first-team setup.
Nigel Clough has also confirmed that Jason Law, James Gale and Ryan Burke are all ready to move out on loan to gain minutes.
For the youngsters, it is perfect to stay match fit and ready if they are to be recalled by Clough in the case of an injury crisis.
With the Stags boss always wanting to operate with a smaller squad, using the opportunity of loan deals will be imperative in their developments.
Fringe players departing permanently
Corey O’Keeffe, Rollin Menayese and Aaron O’Driscoll all were sent out on loans at the start of the season as they were getting nowhere near the starting 11.
Menayese’s deal was first to be confirmed as the defender’s loan club, Walsall, paid an undisclosed fee to secure his services.
The same happened to O’Keeffe and O’Driscoll as the duo joined Rochdale and Longford Town respectively, turning their loan deals into permanent ones.
A shocking departure was that of Harry Charsley who netted a brace against Walsall, two weeks before his departure from the club.
The midfielder was not happy with his game minutes and asked to leave the club which Clough granted. Charsley was eventually able to seal a move to Port Vale, joining ex-Stags players Mal Benning and Aidan Stone at the Valiants.
John-Joe O’Toole signs a long-term contract
As his short-term contract was running out, every fan was screaming and shouting for the club to give the experienced defender/midfielder a new long-term deal.
O’Toole, since his arrival at the Stags in October, has been one of the standout players and has helped propel the amber and blues up the league table.
Eventually, the moment came and the 33-year-old signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal which will keep him at Mansfield Town until the summer of 2024.
It was like a belated Christmas present, but the signings that followed showed a clear intention that this season will see a promotion push.
Talent and firepower added as Akins, Wallace, Longstaff and Murphy all join
One of Burton Albion’s all-time fan favourites, Lucas Akins, was the first signing of the transfer window as the forward dropped down a level to reunite with Clough.
Playing all over the pitch, apart from in goal, for the Brewers, the 32-year-old put pen to paper on a deal until 2024 as he looks to bring experience in the striker department.
Kieran Wallace was next through the door and joined Akins in reuniting with his old manager, having played under Clough for Sheffield United and Burton Albion.
A player that can play in midfield, as a left-back and as a centre-back, he will add much-needed versatility into the side and an extra spark of quality when called upon.
On Deadline Day, the Stags snapped up two loan signings as Matty Longstaff from Newcastle United and Jamie Murphy from Hibernian were announced.
Not much of an introduction was needed for the duo as their quality speaks for itself. Both Longstaff and Murphy have top-flight experience, international experience and will be looking to add to the already quality lineup at the Nottinghamshire outfit.
Longstaff was the first to be announced by the club as he joins the Stags after a pretty dismal first half of the season at Aberdeen.
He only managed five appearances for the Scottish Premiership outfit and will be looking to get more minutes under his belt for Clough’s side.
Murphy, who has also previously worked under Clough at Sheffield United and Burton Albion, will add even more experience to a packed forward line.
The 32-year-old will look to rekindle the goalscoring form that won him many plaudits at the Brewers, having scored seven goals in 10 games during his loan spell at the Pirelli Stadium.
The Verdict
Nigel Clough has simply worked wonders in the transfer window and has signed some fantastic players that will help in the promotion push.
The 55-year-old has also managed to make everyone happy by letting the fringe players find new clubs and allowing the youngsters to go out on loan for valuable game time.
As the season enters its latter stages, the Stags need to continue taking it a game at a time and not looking to far ahead.
Mansfield Town still have to take on everyone in the promotion race which will not be easy but anything is possible with the run of form they have put together.
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