This is the story of the good old days for Mansfield Town. When we left part one during the 1974-75 season the Stags were top of Division Four, two points ahead of Shrewsbury Town with two games in hand. They still had 15 games to go.
March 1975
With the cup run over Mansfield had a tough month ahead. Eight games ahead of them and if they were going to get out of the division, you felt this was the month to do it.
They had two matches before Shrewsbury would play again. As if to feast on the drama, Clarke found his goalscoring boots. He scored the only goal to win at Rochdale, then in a home 2-1 win against Cambridge. It took him to 20 in the league for the season and he really was proving money well spent.
Now all was right with the world. The lead was back up to five points with a game in hand. They were nine points ahead of fourth placed Chester City, who had also played a game more. Lincoln now up to third.
Shrewsbury won 24 hours later to keep the pressure up, but then lost at the weekend at Scunthorpe. Meanwhile Mansfield were at Chester City. This was another important test for the Stags against the side in fourth. City’s attack was headed by Terry Owen, Michael’s dad.
The two teams had played out a goalless draw at Field Mill back in September, and they repeated the feat. A result far more useful for the visitors. The lead was now up to four with two games in hand.
Rotherham had quietly been making their way back up and a run of one defeat in 12 put them back up to third, locked on points with Lincoln and Chester.
Two days later Shrewsbury again dropped points in a 0-0 draw at Rochdale. Since closing the gap to one point, they picked up just one more from a possible four.
24 hours later Southport went in front at home to Mansfield before McCaffrey equalised from the spot. The game ended 1-1 and Mansfield maintained their four-point lead with 11 games to go. Shrewsbury had just nine to play.
Friday night and Mansfield welcomed Exeter City, quite a trip for Grecian fans. Alan Beer put the visitors in front by half-time and the 8,000 home fans who turned up were back to feeling a little nervous again.
Eccles had picked up an injury two weeks before in the Cambridge victory. With O’Connor also out for the rest of the season Smith signed Kevin Griffin on a loan deal from Bristol City. After his debut at Southport, Griffin crowned his first appearance at Field Mill with the equaliser within the first minute of the second half. Beer then grabbed his second of the game to put the visitors back in front. But back came Mansfield with Lathan levelling. The game was won for the home side by Bird’s superb header.
3-2 was a hard fought victory and gave them a six point lead, at least for 24 hours. Shrewsbury then beat Newport to keep the chase on.
The following Tuesday Mansfield were back in action as the games came thick and fast. They made the trip to Northampton. It couldn’t have been a better time for Mansfield to play them either. They’d won just once in their last 12, and not scored for three matches. Goals in each half won it for the Stags as Griffin was again on target.
This was excellent preparation for their next trip which was to Millmoor to take on Rotherham. The Millers were in fourth, a point off a promotion spot with two games in hand. This was the Easter weekend, so there were two games on offer.
When the two met just before Christmas Rotherham were in poor form, but this time they were better prepared. Trevor Womble put them in front, only for Clarke to equalise. But if anyone thought the two would play out another draw, Richard Habbin won it for the home side.
It ended Mansfield’s seven-game unbeaten run. But their mood was lifted with news of Shrewsbury’s loss at Exeter.
On Easter Monday Mansfield had their third successive away game as they travelled into South Wales to take on Newport County. Eccles was back from injury but his second half penalty wasn’t enough to stave off another defeat as they went down 1-2. The first time they’d suffered back-to-back defeats all season.
Shrewsbury took advantage by thumping Northampton, 4-0.
March had seen Mansfield pick up 10 points from a possible 16, but they were still four points clear with a game in hand. Rotherham were a further four points back in third with two games in hand on Shrewsbury. Chester were fourth, two points behind having played two more matches than Rotherham. Lincoln still had games in hand and still in the hunt for promotion.
April
The game in hand meant Mansfield needed another eight points to secure the title. As far as promotion was concerned, they were probably only about another five or six points away from confirming that.
The game in hand came just a day later. Stockport County were the visitors on the Tuesday as another crowd of over 10,000 turned up. Eccles scored from the spot for the second game running. Mick Hollis equalised for the visitors and a 1-1 draw meant the Stags were three games without a win, but at least it was a point.
Mansfield and Shrewsbury now both had six games left, with the Stags five points better off.
Next up was the visit of Hartlepool. They’d beaten Mansfield in their first meeting despite Clarke scoring. He reached 20 goals in the league on 7 March. A month later he’d only advanced by one. He scored in this one to add to Hodgson’s opener and at last the winless run had ended.
Shrewsbury had a fight to get past Bradford, but managed to win a five-goal thriller. With Lincoln dropping a point, Mansfield were now one win away from confirming promotion.
But the title was what they were aiming for and a week off was much needed. They could rest while the second and third placed teams locked swords. Shrewsbury won 3-1 to keep their hopes alive. Defeat for Rotherham meant a nervous time to see if they could get over the line.
The weekend saw Mansfield travel to Darlington. Clarke was again on target. That goal brought the Clarke/Eccles partnership up to 40 for the season in all competitions. But goals from Gordon Cattrell and Colin Sinclair gave the home side the win.
Darlington were third from bottom so needed the points. It had been an odd season for Mansfield. It was their sixth defeat, but only two had come against teams in the top ten.
Once again Shrewsbury fans were ruing their own team’s inability to take the advantage handed to them as they were held to a 1-1 by Hartlepool.
The gap was back down to two points but Mansfield’s game in hand was a crucial difference. Lincoln was again to keep things open for the promotion places.
Mansfield’s game in hand came two days later when they were at home to Lincoln. A win would secure promotion.
The biggest crowd of the season for a league game packed into Field Mill on a Monday night. The visitors were unbeaten in their last six and pushing for a promotion spot. Colin Foster was injured and wouldn’t be seen again that season. But Kevin Bird was fit again and celebrated his return with the opening goal.
John Ward equalised for Lincoln and the nerves returned. Then Lathan put them back in front. With 12 minutes remaining McCaffrey’s cross was turned in by Clarke. Stags’ fans all point to this game being Jim McCaffrey’s best game in a Mansfield shirt. His wing play was so good next day the local newspaper ran with the headline;
“Four points clear as Lincoln are McCaffreyised”
The 3-1 win sent the fans home in raptures, all dreaming of being title winners. Four points clear with just three games to go, two of them at home where they were still unbeaten. Promotion was secured.
Workington Town arrived at Field Mill. They were second from bottom and not expected to provide too much trouble. Eccles put the home side in front in the first half. It was his 15th league goal of the season and the home fans expected the floodgates to open. Although they couldn’t add to this a 1-0 win was more than satisfactory.
Shrewsbury beat Reading but now needed ‘snookers’. They could only reach the same points tally was Mansfield already had and Mansfield had a superior goal difference of four.
Mansfield were to play a night before Shrewsbury’s next match. It was at home to Scunthorpe. Workington had arrived on the Saturday second from bottom, now the bottom club were at Field Mill. They were without a win in their last eight and had only won seven all season.
The pressure on the home side was off. Even a defeat might still give them the title if Shrewsbury didn’t win the night after.
It took 20 minutes for the home side to open the scoring, fittingly through Clarke with a lovely chip into the far corner. The other of Smith’s big signings, Hodgson, then gave them a two-goal lead at the break. Eccles made it three early in the second half before Lathan made it four. Clarke was again on target for the fifth, heading in McCaffrey’s corner.
It took Clarke to 28 in the league and 30 in all competitions. Eccles now had 17 in the league and 18 in all competitions.
Lathan and Bird added to the tally in the final 10 minutes to round off a thumping 7-0 win. There was a carnival atmosphere in the air as the home fans celebrated the title. It was the club’s first ever trophy as a league club.
As it turned out, Shrewsbury dropped a point the night after, possibly deflated with the Stags performance.
Mansfield were crowned Fourth Division Champions
The Stags final league game of a memorable season was a trip to Elm Park to meet Reading. The home side had flirted with a possible promotion spot but it was always an outside chance. The mercurial Robin Friday put the home side in front. Kevin Bird equalised. His tally of seven goals from centre-back was more than useful, considering he’s missed half the season.
The game ended 1-1 and the club’s most memorable season was over. They had amassed 68 points. Shrewsbury lost their final game at Brentford and so Mansfield finished six points clear.
Rotherham lost at Southport and had a nervous wait to see if Lincoln would overhaul them. Lincoln’s final game was two days later, also at Southport. The home side, managed by Alan Ball snr, raced into a 3-1 lead at the break. Lincoln could only get one back and so Rotherham joined Mansfield and Shrewsbury as the promoted clubs.
Dave Smith’s first full season as Stags boss was a huge success. His team had set records;
- Most points in a season (68, under two points for a win)
- Fewest defeats in a season (6)
- Fewest away defeats in a season (6)
- Most home wins in a season (17)
- Most home points in a season (40)
- Most away points in a season (28)
Reflecting on his experiences years later and his move to the club, Clarke told the Sunday Times;
“Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to move two steps forward. It was the best thing I did. From day one it clicked and because I was playing in the first team regularly, I had a lot of confidence.”
He then revealed how his goalscoring soon attracted some suitors;
“Mansfield nearly sold me twice in my first season.” He told the Sunday Times,
“They turned down an offer for £35,000 from Grimsby and £60,000 from Wolves. We were a good side and very attacking. We didn’t have a defensive bone in us.”
On his success in front of goal, he stated;
“I scored 99.9% of my goals from inside 12 yards. I had an instinct for scoring.”
The players got to parade the Fourth Division Champions trophy in front of their fans when Coventry City turned up for a friendly in May 1975. The Stags won 2-0.
A week later First Division Champions, Derby County, visited Field Mill for a testimonial in honour of long-serving secretary, Joe Eaton. Two teams, two Division Champions trophies. The Stags did the ‘friendly’ double, winning 1-0.
This wasn’t a reserve side they beat either. Only Francis Lee and Colin Todd were missing from what would’ve been the strongest line-up Dave Mackay could’ve put out. Archie Gemmill, Kevin Hector, David Nish, Roy McFarland. Wherever you looked there were internationals, but a late goal from Hodgson sent the 12,093 fans home happy.
Roll on Division Three.
All photos courtesy of stagsnet
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