Stags players a 'priority' after safety assured
Manager Nigel Clough says the future of his Mansfield Town squad will be prioritised over his own contract talks after they secured their League One status.The Stags were already free of relegation fears on Wednesday night when they put an emphatic end to their six-match winless run by beating Peterborough United 4-2 at One Call Stadium.Clough began talks about staying beyond this season in April, and while they remain ongoing the 59-year-old said his discussions with chairman John Radford have involved more planning for next season."I had a very good meeting with the chairman and we sorted a good few things out, so give us a bit of time," Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham."It's not actually the priority at the moment - the players are the priority and a few other things and getting that sorted."We have plenty of time in the next week or two to get it done."
When Clough took charge of the Nottinghamshire club in November 2020 they were third from bottom in League Two.He oversaw automatic promotion to League One last season, ending a 21-year absence from the third tier.Before this term, the Stags had spent just one season at this level in the past three decades.A strong start to the campaign had them as high as third in the division in October, but 14 defeats and just three wins from 21 matches before Wednesday night's triumph had the Stags battling for survival.Before they faced champions Birmingham City on Sunday - a match Mansfield lost 4-0 - Clough spoke of his "relief" at staying up.Against Peterborough, he said the absence of the "edgy" feeling of relegation anxiety helped deliver one of Mansfield's most emphatic wins of the season."Everybody was relaxed tonight," Clough said."It could have ended 8-6 and if we had won 8-6 it wouldn't have been an unfair reflection on the game."It's lovely to score some goals, lovely to get the three points and to send the supporters home with a smile on their faces. It hasn't happened too much in the last four months, especially here at the One Call."Clough now wants his side to ensure they "finish on a high" with another win when they host mid-table Exeter City on Saturday.
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