History of Mansfield Town F.C. facts for kids

Mansfield Town Football Club is a professional football team from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. They are known as 'The Stags' and play in blue and yellow kits. Since 1919, their home ground has been Field Mill. The team currently plays in League Two, which is the fourth level of English football.

The club started in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans. They joined a local league in 1902. Later, they changed their name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 and then to Mansfield Town in 1910. They won the Central Alliance league in 1919–20. In 1921, they joined the Midland League, winning it three times (1923–24, 1924–25, and 1928–29). Mansfield Town finally joined the Football League in 1931.

They moved between different divisions over the years. They were relegated from the Third Division in 1960 but got promoted from the Fourth Division in 1962–63. Mansfield reached the Second Division for the first time after winning the Fourth Division title in 1974–75 and the Third Division title in 1976–77.

In 1985–86, they were promoted from the Fourth Division. The team then won the Associate Members' Cup in 1986–87. Mansfield was relegated in 1991 but promoted again in 1991–92. They were promoted once more in 2001–02 but lost their Football League spot in 2008. After five seasons in the Conference, they won the league in 2012–13 and returned to the Football League. This was helped by new owner John Radford.

Club History

Before the Stags

Mansfield Town was not the first football club in the area. A team also called Mansfield Town played in a league in 1892–93. Another team, Mansfield Greenhalgh, played at Field Mill. These two clubs joined together in 1894 to form Mansfield FC. However, this club stopped playing around 1900.

Early Years

1897-1902

Mansfield Town started in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans. Their name came from a local church. They wore chocolate and sky blue shirts with royal blue shorts and socks. Their first game was on September 4, 1897, a 2–2 draw.

In 1902–03, they joined the Mansfield and District Amateur League. Their first league game was a 1–0 loss. A week later, they lost 13–0, which is still the club's worst defeat. They finished 7th that season.

The team improved, finishing 3rd, 5th, and 3rd again. In 1906, the league became professional. The church did not want to be part of this, so the club changed its name to Mansfield Wesley. They then joined the Notts and District League. They finished 6th in their first season there. They also reached a cup final but lost 4–1.

In 1908–09, the club showed more progress. Jack Needham was a star player, scoring 46 goals in 35 games. He later moved to Birmingham FC. Wesley finished 4th that season.

The 1909–10 season was busy. Some club officials resigned after a disagreement about signing a player on a Sunday. The club lost two points. Without Needham, Mansfield dropped to 17th in the league. Wesley played in the FA Cup for the first time but lost to local rivals.

1906-1910

In summer 1910, the club decided to change its name to Mansfield Town. This was to show they were the main club in the town. The FA approved the change, even though another local team protested.

Mansfield Town

The first "Mansfield Town" kit, 1910-1911

To look even more professional, Town changed to a red-and-white kit. Their first season as Mansfield Town was better, finishing 9th. They also did well in the FA Cup and a local cup.

In summer 1911, a new league called the Central Alliance was formed. Mansfield Town was one of 12 teams accepted. They changed their kit again to black-and-white quartered shirts. Their first season in this new league was tough, finishing near the bottom. They also lost early in the FA Cup.

Mansfield had to move grounds in 1912 because a railway line was built through their old one. They moved back to an earlier ground where facilities were poor. At the same time, Mansfield Mechanics moved to their new ground, Field Mill. After two average seasons, Mansfield Town was not re-elected to the league in 1914 because of their poor ground.

1911-1916

For the 1914–15 season, the club joined the Notts, Derby and District League. They finished 4th. They had a tough time in cup competitions that year.

The Great War affected many leagues. In 1915, Mansfield rejoined the Central Alliance. In the 1915–16 season, Mansfield finished 6th in the first part of the league. In the second part, they won all 10 games to take the title. This included two 6-0 wins against the Mechanics. The Central Alliance then closed until the war ended, and Mansfield Town also stopped playing.

A New Home

During the war, Mansfield Mechanics did not pay rent for Field Mill. The owner, the Duke of Portland, rented the ground to a group helping soldiers. This group then rented it to Mansfield Town. Town agreed to fix up the ground for the 1919–20 season. This led to the Mechanics club eventually closing down.

Mansfield started this new era with another kit change, to amber and royal blue halves. This gave them the nickname 'The Ambers'. In their first season back after the war, Mansfield won the Central Alliance title. The 1920–21 season started well, but they finished 5th. The Ambers also reached the fifth qualifying round of the FA Cup and a local cup final, losing both.

In 1921, Mansfield joined the Midland Counties League, which was a strong league. They had a good first season and a strong FA Cup run. In 1922–23, they finished in the middle of the table and again reached the 6th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.

In 1923–24, Mansfield hired Jack Baynes as their first manager. They quickly won their first Midland League title. They tried to join the Football League but did not get any votes. The next season, they won the Midland League again but still failed to get into the Football League. In 1925–26, they finished second in the Midland League. They applied again but were only allowed into a different league. In 1926, Teddy Davidson became the new player-manager.

In 1926–27, the club finished second in their division. Another FA Cup run ended in defeat. 1927–28 was a difficult season, and the club finished 10th.

Jack Hickling became manager/secretary and rebuilt the team. Mansfield then won the Midland League title by nine points. They also had a famous FA Cup run. They beat several teams, including Second Division Wolverhampton Wanderers. They reached the Fourth Round to play Arsenal. Mansfield missed a penalty that could have given them the lead, and Arsenal won 2–0. The press called Mansfield "The egg and milk team" because of a story about the players' diet. Even after this great cup run, Mansfield was still not allowed into the Football League.

The Football League

For the next two seasons, Mansfield finished in the middle of the table. They tried to join the Football League again in 1931. This time, they applied to join the Southern section of Division Three. This helped them get support from northern clubs. With more votes than another team, the Stags finally joined the Football League after six attempts!

For the next six years, the club had average seasons. They only finished in the top half once. They struggled with many different managers. However, two players were outstanding. Harry Johnson scored 104 goals in three years. He was replaced by Ted Harston, who scored 81 goals in two seasons, including 55 goals in 1936–37. He then moved to Liverpool. Harry Crawshaw, Harston's replacement, scored 25 goals in one season. In 1938–39, Mansfield scored only 44 goals, finishing 16th in the last season before football stopped for World War Two.

Post War

After the war, Mansfield started the 1946–47 season well. But then their performance dropped, and they finished last. However, no teams were relegated that season due to the war's impact. For the next three years, Mansfield finished comfortably in the middle of the table.

In 1950–51, Mansfield became the first British team to go unbeaten in 23 home games. They finished second in the league. The club also had a great FA Cup run, beating several teams to reach the fifth round. They lost 2–0 to Blackpool, who later reached Wembley.

Mansfield finished 6th the next season. In 1952–53, they finished 18th. They had a record home crowd of 24,467 fans for an FA Cup game against local rivals Nottingham Forest.

At the end of that season, the club was in debt. They played friendly matches to raise money.

On the pitch, Mansfield was still inconsistent. They finished in various positions throughout the 1950s. In 1959–60, the club was relegated to the Fourth Division.

They finished near the bottom in their first Division Four season. They improved the next year. In 1962–63, Mansfield was promoted on the last day of the season. There was a scandal that season when captain Brian Phillips was involved in a match-fixing issue.

After finishing 7th in 1963–64, Mansfield almost got promoted to the Second Division in 1964–65. They were in second place with two games left but just missed out.

In January 1965, Brian Phillips and another player were sent to prison for their part in the match-fixing scandal.

Giant Killers

Mansfield's league form was still up and down. They finished 18th and 9th, then almost got relegated but were saved when another team lost points. Another average season followed in 1968–69. However, another FA Cup run made headlines.

They beat several teams, including Sheffield United. In the fourth round, they beat Southend, leading to a match against West Ham United. Amazingly, Mansfield won 3–0! West Ham was a top team with England's World Cup winners Bobby Moore, Martin Peters, and Geoff Hurst. The game was played on February 26, 1969, in front of 21,117 fans. Mansfield became only the fourth team to knock out clubs from five different leagues in one competition. They reached the quarter-final but lost to Leicester City.

In 1970–71, the Stags finished sixth in Division Three. They had another FA Cup run, losing to First Division champions Leeds United in the fifth round. Another good league season followed, finishing 7th. They almost caused an upset in the League Cup, drawing 0–0 with Liverpool.

In the 1971–72 season, Mansfield needed a win in their last game to stay up. A 1–1 draw was not enough, and they were relegated. The next season, Mansfield missed promotion on the last day. 1973–74 was a big disappointment, as they finished 17th.

Two Promotions

Under manager Dave Smith, Mansfield won the Division Four title in 1974–75. New player Ray Clarke scored 30 goals. Mansfield also appeared on TV when a top-division team visited in the FA Cup.

In 1975–76, Mansfield was at the bottom but then had a good run of form. However, the manager was let go. Mansfield was then promoted to the second tier of English football for the only time in their history in 1976–77, winning the championship.

However, they were relegated at the end of the 1977–78 season. This season had some exciting games, including a 3–3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur where two players scored three goals each. By April of the next year, Mansfield was in the relegation zone again, but a good run of games helped them finish 18th.

The Club's Only Cup Win

Mansfield won the Freight Rover Trophy in 1987. This was their first game at Wembley Stadium, played in front of 58,000 fans. After a 1–1 draw, they won the cup 5–4 in a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Kevin Hitchcock saved two penalties. Keith Cassells was named Man of the Match. In the 1987–88 season, Mansfield narrowly lost 2–1 at home in the FA Cup to Wimbledon, who went on to win the cup.

"Yo-yo" Years

In the 1990–91 season, Mansfield finished last in the Third Division. However, they went straight back up the next year, finishing third to get promoted to the new Division Two.

But again, the Stags were relegated right away. A key player was sold to help reduce the club's debts. The club won only eleven games all season and was relegated with two games left.

The club's ownership changed. George Foster was sacked as manager. After a few months, Andy King became the permanent manager. The club finished 12th that season.

1994–95 was much better. Mansfield beat Leeds United 1–0 in the League Cup first leg and held them to a 0–0 draw in the second leg for a memorable win. In the league, Mansfield had a great run of form and reached a play-off spot.

They drew 1–1 with rivals Chesterfield in the first play-off game. In the second leg, Mansfield led twice but drew 2–2 (3–3 overall). Disaster struck as two Mansfield players were sent off, and Chesterfield scored three times to win 6–3.

Many of the best players left the team. Mansfield finished 19th. The next season, King was sacked early. Captain Steve Parkin took over. Mansfield was near the bottom but then had a good run, almost reaching the play-offs.

1997–98 and 1998–99 were similar. In 1997–98, a good run of form helped them finish 12th. In 1998–99, they had a great first half of the season but a poor second half, finishing 8th. They were in a play-off spot with three games left but lost the next two.

In June, Mansfield faced a transfer ban because they had to borrow money to pay players. Parkin resigned, and Billy Dearden took over with only 9 players. A new squad was quickly put together, which showed in their first game, a 6–0 loss. A star player was transferred to Manchester City. Mansfield had mixed results and finished 17th.

Mansfield's first game of the 2000–01 season had to be played away because their stadium, Field Mill, was still being redeveloped. In that game, Chris Greenacre scored an incredible goal from the center circle. In the next game, another player scored from 35 yards. On August 28, 2000, Mansfield drew 4–4 in the first game at the newly redeveloped Field Mill. The new West Stand opened in February 2001. Mansfield's form dropped.

On Easter Monday, referee Mike North sadly collapsed and died during a game.

A 2–0 win over Leyton Orient started a run of 4 wins in the last 6 games, helping Mansfield finish 13th.

Long Awaited Promotion

Mansfield was at the top of the table for the 2001–02 season. They seemed set for a play-off spot until they beat rivals Cheltenham 2–1 in April. A loss to York City meant Mansfield had to win their last game and hope Cheltenham dropped points. Mansfield won 2–0, and Cheltenham lost, giving Mansfield their first promotion in 10 years!

However, they finished 23rd the next season and were relegated back to Division Three. In 2003–04, Mansfield reached the play-off final after winning a penalty shootout. But they lost on penalties to Huddersfield Town at the Millennium Stadium.

Because they failed to get promoted, several key players left the club. In November 2004, manager Keith Curle was suspended and later sacked. Carlton Palmer was appointed, which made some fans unhappy. On a brighter note, striker Richard Barker joined and became a fan favorite. After a mixed season, the Stags finished in the lower middle of the table.

After a poor start to the 2005–06 season, Carlton Palmer resigned in September. His assistant Peter Shirtliff took over and guided the club to a mid-table finish. A highlight was an FA Cup third-round game against Newcastle United, which they lost 1–0. Peter Shirtliff left the club in December 2006. Paul Holland briefly took over, then former manager Bill Dearden returned.

77 Years in the Football League, Over

Mansfield had a poor 2007–08 season, sitting near the bottom. Despite this, they had an FA Cup run, beating a higher-league team. This set up a home game against Premiership side Middlesbrough, which they lost 2–0.

Mansfield's poor league form continued. Manager Billy Dearden was sacked and replaced by Paul Holland. Mansfield's 77-year stay in the Football League ended on April 29, 2008, when another team drew their game. Paul Holland was sacked for not keeping the club in the Football League.

After Holland, Billy McEwan took over, but he was sacked after five months. On December 29, 2008, David Holdsworth became the new manager.

David Holdsworth made a great impact, winning many games and moving the club away from relegation. He strengthened the defense, and the team set a club record of six consecutive home clean sheets. Despite this, Mansfield could not reach the play-offs. Another average season followed, and Holdsworth was sacked in November 2010.

After Holdsworth left, Duncan Russell, the assistant manager, became the full-time manager. Under Russell, the Stags had a memorable run in the FA Trophy. On March 19, 2011, they reached the final. However, their second trip to Wembley Stadium was not successful, as they lost in extra time.

After a poor league season in 2010–2011, Russell's contract was not renewed. Paul Cox was announced as his replacement. Cox led Mansfield to their highest finish in the Conference in his first season. They finished third but lost in the play-off semi-finals.

The start of the 2012–13 season was mixed. A good point was the club's FA Cup run. A win over Lincoln City set up a third-round game with Premier League side Liverpool. A controversial goal helped Liverpool win 2–1, but Mansfield's brave performance gave the team confidence. After the cup game, the Stags won 20 of their last 24 games, including a club record of 12 wins in a row. They won the Blue Square Bet Premier title and were promoted back to the Football League. The title was secured with a 1–0 win on April 20, 2013.

2013–Present: Return to the Football League

Mansfield finished their first season back in the Football League in 11th place. In 2018–19, the Stags just missed out on promotion on the last day. They then lost in the play-offs on penalties. After a tough start to the 2020–21 season, Nigel Clough became manager and helped Mansfield stay safe.

In the 2021–22 season, Mansfield was near the bottom in October. But then they had a 14-match unbeaten run, including a club record of 11 straight home wins. They finished 7th in League Two, just missing automatic promotion. They won their play-off semi-final but lost 3–0 in the final. In the 2023–24 season, Mansfield started with a 19-match unbeaten run and were later promoted to League One, finishing 3rd.

Records

Team Records

Match Records

Best Seasons

• Most Wins:
  • 17 – 1950–51, 1951–52, 1964–65, 1974–75, 1976–77, 2001–02 (Home)
  • 11 – 1974–75, 1976–77 (Away)
  • 28 – 1974–75, 1976–77 (Overall)

• Fewest Defeats:
  • 0 – 1950–51, 1963–64, 1974–75, 1976–77 (Home)
    • In 1950–51, Mansfield was the first Football League club to complete a 23-game home schedule without losing.
  • 6 – 1974–75 (Away)
  • 6 – 1974–75 (Overall)

• Most Goals Scored:
  • 108 – 1962–63

• Fewest Goals Conceded:
  • 38 – 1984–85

• Most Points:
  • 68 – 1974–75 (when a win was 2 points)
  • 81 – 1985–86 (when a win was 3 points)

Player Records

Records for all recognized league and cup competitions