The Greatest Stag Do : Part Five : The story of Mansfield Town's glory days : Division 3 title 1976-77

 

This is the story of Mansfield Town’s glory days in the mid-to-late 1970’s. So far we’ve seen them win Division Four. We pick the story up in their second season in Division Three. They were lying fifth, just three points behind the leaders, Rotherham United. There were still 26 matches to play.

1977

January

The club dipped into the transfer market. He signed midfielder Billy McEwan, who became another ex-Chesterfield player at the club. But the big news was when they accepted a club record £110,000 from Huddersfield for Terry Eccles. Eccles had played 118 times for the Stags scoring 47 goals. They’d won the Fourth Division thanks to goals from Clarke and Eccles, now it was up to Randall and Moss to try and get them into the Second Division.

After missing the cup week they resumed their league form with a fourth successive victory. Moss scored the only goal to beat Sheffield Wednesday.

The winning run came to an end at Portsmouth, with Moss again on target. He scored in his fourth successive match with they won at Preston.

Their unbeaten run was now at seven matches. They’d lost just once in their last 13. Now they were up to the heady heights of second place, two points behind Brighton. There were five clubs below them just two points worse off.

 

February

This was always a big month. It was this time last season when they really turned things round at the start of their 19-match unbeaten run. They had six games to look forward to. The first being a tough match with Rotherham. The Millers were level on points with Mansfield.

As if to sense the importance, Morris chose this game to score his first for the club. Moss then added a second, the fifth successive game he’d been on target. Alan Crawford had been prolific for Rotherham in the first half of the season and when he scored he took his tally to 13. But they couldn’t find an equaliser, leaving Randall to score the third for Mansfield to pick up all the points.

Two days later they were again at home as Oxford United were the visitors. Oxford had come down from the Second Division but were showing no signs of going back up. Moss scored another two. What a start to his Stags career. He’d scored in six successive games, hitting seven.

Brighton were still top of the table, but had played more than anyone else. Mansfield had closed the gap to two points and had two games in hand. But behind them were Wrexham, who also had two games in hand on the Stags.

Colin Foster scored the goal which won the game at Grimsby and this was the fourth successive win. This was now 10 unbeaten and they really were in the promotion hunt.

Brighton were held at Rotherham so now Mansfield were just a point behind.

The line-up was now looking quite different from the start of the season. No Pate, Eccles, Matthews, McCaffrey or MacKenzie. Morris was playing regularly and Moss had certainly settled straight in. McEwan had come in towards the end of January, he now scored his first for his new club at Lincoln City.

Lincoln hadn’t beaten Mansfield in the league for four years, but were leading at half-time. Bird scored in the second half but Lincoln held on to win 3-2. It was Mansfield’s first defeat in 10 matches. They were still in second place as Brighton hadn’t played, but now they only had one game in hand.

MacKenzie had returned from injury to take over from Saxby at the back, and the last two matches of the month were both at home and both a success. York City were sent packing after a 4-1 win. Randall scored two to take his total for the season to 13. Morris also scored and he repeated the feat a fortnight later when they beat Walsall 3-0. Bird scored in both matches too.

February ended with Mansfield having won five of their six matches. They were still second, a point behind Brighton but with a game in hand. Peter Ward scored in both Brighton’s wins at the end of the month. Rotherham were two points behind Mansfield with the top three pulling away from the pack, with Wrexham and Crystal Palace the closest chasers.

 

March

If February had been considered important, there was no let-up in March as another six games lay ahead.

Crystal Palace were the first opponents. Venables’ team were in fifth and had matched Mansfield’s February record, five wins, one defeat. Just short of 11,000 saw Colin Foster’s second half goal win it for the home side.

Brighton were held at home by Tranmere and so the two were locked at the top on 43 points. Mansfield still had a game in hand.

That game in hand came in the week when Northampton Town were the visitors. They were in the bottom three but had won their last three.

A goalless first half saw the deadlock broken in the second by Randall. The Stags hung on to take the points and move to the top of the table. Rotherham beat Lincoln to join Brighton on 43 points. The top three sides were separated by just two points.

It was their fourth successive home match and they’d won all of them. Their home form was nothing short of remarkable. They’d won their last nine at Field Mill. It had been over two years since they last lost a league game at home. A run of 30 matches.

The players may have celebrated a little too much as they then suffered their worst period of the season. They lost at Bury and Tranmere and could only draw at home to Peterborough United and Chester City.

Despite losing at Bury they were still top as Brighton lost at Crystal Palace and Rotherham drew at Grimsby.

At home to Peterborough, Robbie Cooke scored his first goal for the club. Two days later they suffered their biggest league defeat of the season when they were trounced 0-4 at Tranmere.

This was a big shock. Tranmere hadn’t won for 11 matches. Future FA CEO, Mark Palios opened the scoring.

Rotherham then went to Tranmere and won 1-0. On the same night Mansfield were held at home by Chester City. With Brighton losing at Peterborough, Mansfield were back on top. They lead Rotherham on goal difference, one point above Brighton and two above Wrexham.

March had not been the month their February form had promised. Two wins, two defeats and two draws. They now had 11 matches left to see if they could reach the Second Division for the first time in their history.

 

April

This was the busiest month of the season, with eight games to navigate. First up would be the toughest of them all, a trip to the Goldstone Ground.

Rotherham, in second, also had a tough game as they welcomed Crystal Palace.

Kevin Randall missed the trip to Brighton as Ian McDonald replaced him. Peter Ward scored for the home side with Moss levelling things for the visitors. Gerrie Fell, who was born just 20 miles from Mansfield, put Brighton ahead at the break. It was his first start of the year and an important time to put his team in front. It seemed like the next goal would be crucial, and it fell to Brighton as Ward scored from the spot.

That was now four consecutive away defeats. Dropping to third, there was just one point covering the top three.

Given their away form it was with some relief they now had three matches at Field Mill, all against sides from the bottom half of the table.

Just after their defeat at Lincoln, they hit back with a 4-1 win when Port Vale visited. Bird scored a brace and Colin Foster was on target too. That was six each from the two defenders. Randall also scored to give him 15 for the season.

Brighton also won but Rotherham lost at Gillingham. Wrexham won and were on the same points as Mansfield, in third.

This was the Easter period so the games came thick and fast. Easter Monday saw the visit of Chesterfield. A crowd of just under 12,000 watched as goals from Bird and Moss gave the Stags another win. Brighton didn’t play so Mansfield were now a point behind.

The next night both clubs were in action. Mansfield welcomed their old foes, Shrewsbury. McEwan scored his second goal for the club to give them their third straight victory.

Brighton won as well and now had a slight gap to the rest of the chasing pack, Wrexham and Rotherham.

The run came to an end at Reading. Colin Foster put through his own net for what proved to be the only goal of the game. That was now five away defeats in a row.

Fortunately, Brighton also lost at Walsall. Wrexham won to move to within a point of Mansfield, with a game in hand.

Walsall would now provide Mansfield’s next opponents. Alan Buckley put the home side in front from the spot, but Moss equalised before half-time. It was his 10th of the season. In the second half the game was decided when Walsall defender, Roger Hynd, scored an own goal. At last Mansfield’s losing run away from home was at an end.

The night before, third place Wrexham beat fourth place Rotherham.

Brighton then drew at Lincoln so it was ‘as-you-were’ at the top. There was a four-point gap between third and fourth. Mansfield weren’t far away from securing promotion.

Five games to go, three at home.

The next visitors to Field Mill were Gillingham. Randall put the Stags in front. Damien Richardson levelled things for the visitors. Colin Foster then put the home side back in front, but John Overton gave Gillingham a point.

With Brighton and Wrexham both winning, Mansfield dropped to third. Wrexham and Mansfield were level on points, Brighton were one better. This was going all the way to the wire. There was a five-point gap to Palace in fourth.

The last game of the month saw the Stags travel to Swindon. Colin Foster scored again and it was enough to win the game.

This was a crucial win as Brighton were at Wrexham. That game ended goalless, so now Mansfield joined Brighton on 58 points with Wrexham one behind and still with a game in hand.

 

May

On the Monday night Portsmouth made the trip up to Field Mill. Colin Foster scored yet again, the third successive game. Randall’s 17th of the season crowned a 2-0 win and Mansfield had secured promotion to the Second Division, for the first time in their history.

Mansfield’s joy was soured with a bad injury to Barry Foster. The left-back suffered a double fracture of his right leg and would play no further part in the season.

The next night Peter Ward scored his 30th of the season to help Brighton to a 3-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday. At Selhurst Park Crystal Palace won a vital match against Wrexham.

Brighton and Mansfield were now on 60 points. Wrexham were three behind with Palace a further two back.

The following weekend saw Brighton and Wrexham sit it out. Mansfield had their final home game of the season. Over 11,000 came to see the visit of Northampton Town.

Bird and McEwan gave the home side a two-goal lead at the break. In the second half Moss scored his 11th of the season and the win was confirmed.

Mansfield were top, two points clear of Brighton who had a game in hand. Wrexham were two points back also with a game in hand. Crystal Palace were fourth, a point behind Wrexham.

Midweek saw Brighton travel to Swindon. Peter Ward scored his 31st of the season for the visitors, but goals from David Moss and Ray McHale gave Swindon a surprise 2-1 win.

It was the Seagulls first defeat in five matches and now handed the advantage to Mansfield. One game to go and Mansfield could even afford to lose it, if Brighton couldn’t beat Chesterfield in their last match.

24 hours later, Crystal Palace travelled to Wrexham and a brilliant second half performance saw them pull off a 4-2 win.

Palace were now in the third promotion spot, but their season had finished. In order for them to confirm promotion they would need Wrexham to win their final match. Palace had a superior goal difference so even a draw wouldn’t be enough for the Welsh side. Wrexham’s final match would be at home to Mansfield.

There was an outside chance Rotherham could overhaul Palace, but they would need to beat Port Vale by seven goals to do it.

The final day of the season saw Mansfield travel to Wrexham. The two clubs had met so many times in the recent years, with Mansfield getting the better of their battles.

The first half was goalless, which suited the visitors. Brighton were a goal down after Steve Cammack gave Chesterfield the lead. Alan Crawford had given Rotherham a half-time lead in their match.

As things stood Mansfield would be champions, with Brighton and Crystal Palace joining them in promotion.

In the second half Peter Ward scored his 32nd league goal of the season to equalise for Brighton. Rotherham knocked the goals in to give them a 4-1 win at Port Vale but that wasn’t enough to make their goal difference greater than Palace.

Then in the final minute at the Racecourse Ground the ‘old firm’ partnership of Randall and Moss combined to give Moss his 13th of the season. It gave the pair 30 goals for the season and the 3,500 Stags’ fans who’d made the trip to North Wales reasons to celebrate as they won the Third Division.

These were glorious times for Mansfield. Two championships in three years and now they were looking forward to Second Division football for the first time ever.

They finished three points ahead of Brighton with Crystal Palace finishing third.

The local newspaper, the CHAD recalled the events;

An afternoon for the 3,500 Mansfield Town fans, and every member of the team and officials at the Wrexham game, to remember for a lifetime - yet one member of the side will have to rely on newspaper cuttings and gossip for his memories of the historic occasion.

Player of the Year Rod Arnold was knocked cold right on the half-time whistle, and he could recall little of the preceding 90 minutes as he changed at the end of the game - except Mansfield had won and were champions, and Ernie Moss scored the winner.

To remind him of his contribution, it was a super save which kept out a Billy Ashcroft header in the 33rd minute. It was left to the old firm of Ernie Moss and Kevin Randall to finally kill-off Wrexham's hopes of promotion. Randall eeled his way past his covering defender right on the bye-line, and chipped the ball in for Ernie Moss to score and send the Mansfield contingent of fans behind the goal, wild with delight.

There were scenes of great emotion after the final whistle as the Mansfield players and fans celebrated their second championship in three seasons.

Mansfield had won the title going the whole season unbeaten at home. They’d gone through 1976 unbeaten at home in the league. In fact their unbeaten home record now stood at 37 matches.

Kevin Randall ended as top scorer. He justified manager Peter Morris’s faith in him as he was chosen to lead the line after Ray Clarke moved abroad. Ernie Moss also proved to be a vital signing as he and Randall shared 30 goals. The club had managed to survive the sale of Clarke and Eccles, two transfers which brought the club £200,000.

The fans could now look forward to visiting places such as Sunderland, Southampton, Bolton, Fulham and Sheffield United. They soon discovered they’d also have the prospect of a visit to White Hart Lane as Tottenham had been relegated from the First Division. What a season to look forward to.

 

 

 

 

pics courtesy of Stagsnet & The Chad

The Greatest Stag Do : Part Four : The story of Mansfield Town's glory days : 1976-77 season

 

This is the story of Mansfield Town’s glory days in the mid-to late 1970’s. We’ve covered their Division Four title win and a season in Division Three, where they finished very strongly. Could they take that form into the new season? The club had never played at a higher level than the third tier of English football. Could they reach their zenith?

1976-77

After the euphoria of their first championship trophy when they won the Fourth Division in 1975, their subsequent season in Division Three was very much a season of two halves. Rock bottom of the table in mid-February, a 19-game unbeaten run saw them finish a creditable 11th. If they could keep that form going into the new season then what could they achieve?

But then just as they were beginning to dream, the club was rocked by two shocking pieces of news. Top scorer, Ray Clarke, announced he didn’t want to play another season in the third tier and the club accepted a record fee from Dutch club, Sparta Rotterdam. Perhaps even more shocking was the news manager Dave Smith, the man who had masterminded their Fourth Division title, was ‘relieved of his duties’.

Suddenly it was now all worry and uncertainty. The new season seemed to ask more questions than answers for Stags’ fans. Who would replace the goals Clarke had provided? Who would be selecting the team in the first place, now Dave Smith had moved on.

The answer to the second question was found in former player, Peter Morris. 33-year old Morris spent eight seasons at Field Mill in the sixties, making over 280 appearances. He moved to Ipswich Town, playing under Bobby Robson, then onto Norwich City where he was managed by John Bond. Mansfield signed him as a player-manager.

Morris brought with him Johnny Miller, who’d been with him at both Ipswich and Norwich. Miller was a winger and would provide the crosses for Kevin Randall. Instead of dipping into the transfer market to find someone to replace Clarke, Morris chose to move Randall into the centre. A bold move given he’d only scored three goals the season before and their coffers were bulging to the tune of £90,000 Sparta paid them for Clarke.

Player-managers were quite common in the lower divisions, but they brought their own particular issues. This was the first managerial appointment for Morris, which in itself wasn’t too much of a problem as Mansfield had been Dave Smith’s first. But how often would, or should Morris play? He’d had experience at a much higher level than this and would surely be an asset.

The season kicked-off with the League Cup. The First Round was over two legs and Mansfield had been drawn against a familiar foe, Scunthorpe. Stags’ fans remember with fondness their team winning 7-0 to secure the Fourth Division title in 1975. The Iron were also opponents at the same stage last season when Mansfield made it all the way to the Quarters. They were also the opponents they came up against in the league too.

Mansfield won both legs in the League Cup that season, and they drew first blood this time with goals from McCaffrey and Eccles. Three days later Scunthorpe won their home leg 2-0 so a replay was required. McCaffrey was again on target but Scunthorpe won 2-1 with goals from Mick Wadsworth and Doug O’Connor. O’Connor had been part of the Stags Fourth Division title winning team, before moving to the Old Show Ground.

With no chance of a repeat of their League Cup run, Mansfield set about tackling the Third Division.

Their form in the last two and a half months of the previous season was the best in the division. Mid-February had seen them sitting at the bottom, five points adrift. They went unbeaten in the last 19 games, picking up more points than any other team during that period. They finished the season in 11th.

During their championship winning season, Terry Eccles had scored 17 in a 45-goal partnership with Ray Clarke. With Clarke now having moved to the Netherlands, Eccles was under pressure to become the top striker at the club. He only hit the target six times the previous season so when he was on the mark twice against Preston, this was an immediate boost for the Stags.

Their first away trip was a short, but ultimately disappointing one. They went down 0-3 to Rotherham. Their first league defeat for 20 matches.

But then they bounced back straight away with a 3-0 win at home to Grimsby. Eccles hit a hat-trick, his third for the club. He was on the scoresheet in midweek when they also beat Oxford United 3-0. He now had matched his previous season’s tally in just four matches.

Morris had played the first three games but stepped down for the Oxford match. Paul Matthews came back into midfield. Kevin Randall scored his first of the season and the two men who were tasked with replacing Clarke’s goals were now up and running. Oxford had come down from the Second Division. Another club who’d been relegated were York City, and they were the next visitors to Field Mill. Eccles scored the only goal of the game. Seven goals in five matches.

Mansfield were top of the table ahead of Swindon on goal difference. You’d never notice the difference from Smith’s team of last season.

Randall scored in the 1-1 draw with Tranmere, before the first big test of season. Crystal Palace were in the promotion hunt throughout the previous season, just missing out on going up. Managed by Terry Venables, Palace were on the verge of their own golden years. Goals in each half from Steve Perrin and Dave Swindlehurst gave Palace the points.

 

October

October started well when Bury arrived and Mansfield sent them packing with a 5-0 win. New signing, Johnny Miller scored twice as did Randall. But they couldn’t continue this form as they suffered back-to-back defeats at Peterborough United and Chester City.

Eccles picked up an injury against Peterborough and subsequently missed the Chester defeat. Young Robbie Cooke made his debut for the club in his absence. He was back for the crucial visit of Brighton. The Seagulls were managed by former England international, Alan Mullery. Like Venables at Palace, ‘Mullers’ was putting together an exciting team at the Goldstone Ground. They were making the running during the early part of the season.

Chris Cattlin gave the visitors the lead at the break, but Colin Foster scored his second of the season to earn a point.

One win in six wasn’t the form they were hoping for. Eccles was again missing for the final game of the month. No one knew it at the time, but he’d played his last game for the club. Morris brought himself back for the trip to Sheffield Wednesday.

Wednesday had narrowly escaped the drop the season before, but this time round had made a much better start. First half goals from Miller and Matthews were enough to turn things round for Mansfield.

Mansfield ended the month in eighth, five points behind the leaders, Brighton. Next up Shrewsbury.

 

November

Morris was now having to juggle his squad as a spate of injuries caused headaches. Both full-backs, Sandy Pate and Colin Foster, were now out. Kevin Bird moved from the centre to the right in defence. Local boy, Ian Wood, was now installed at left-back making his debut against Wednesday.

Shrewsbury were The Stags’ next opponents. They’d pushed them all the way when Mansfield won the Fourth Division. The first half of last season saw The Shrews pushing for promotion, before they tailed off alarmingly during the second period. This time they began strongly again, and were in third just a point behind the leaders. The game ended goalless.

Mansfield then took their unbeaten run to five matches with back-to-back home wins against Lincoln and Reading. The Lincoln game saw Gordon Hodgson finally open his account for the season. The Reading match was a personal triumph for Randall. He scored all four goals in a 4-0 win. Stags’ fans had worried about the loss of Clarke, and they were now without Eccles. Could Randall now provide the necessary fire-power up front?

The injury situation was getting worse as Bird was now out and Morris had to fill in at right-back.

Mansfield were now up to third, level on points with Shrewsbury. They were four behind the leaders, Brighton.

The run came to an end the following week when they went down 1-3 at Gillingham. Pate and Colin Foster were back. Pate would only be seen twice more that season.

The FA Cup kicked off the following week. Stags had been drawn against Fourth Division Huddersfield Town. The first meeting was at Leeds Road and ended goalless.

The replay was the following Monday at Field Mill. Randall put Stags in front, but Huddersfield equalised through Arnie Sidebottom. Sidebottom was one of those multi-sports professionals you never see these days. He was a fast bowler at Yorkshire and father to Ryan, who played for England many times. Eccles won it for Mansfield in the second half. Was there to be another cup run for the supporters?

Hodgson had scored in the defeat at Gillingham and he was again on target in the home draw with Swindon. He now had three in his last four matches. This was an important contribution.

At the end of November they were sixth, one of three teams on 20 points, Sheffield Wednesday and Bury were the others. They were four points behind the leaders Brighton and Wrexham.

 

December

Everyone knows about the summer of 1976 being one of the hottest ever known, but the winter of 1976-77 was one which started to muck about with the fixture schedule. It was two weeks into the December before Mansfield took to the pitch.  They couldn’t play their FA Second Round fixture on the designated day, and this was postponed to the following Wednesday.

They were drawn at home to non-league Matlock Town. Matlock were in the Northern Premier League. They had built up a bit of a pedigree too. They reached the First Round for the first time two seasons before, losing 1-4 to Blackburn Rovers. They then went on to win the FA Trophy for the first time. The following season they were in the First Round again but lost to Wigan Athletic, also a Northern Premier League side then.

During this season Matlock were again up against Wigan, and this time won 2-0. They then made the 18-mile journey west to Mansfield for the Second Round clash.

When Matlock won the FA Trophy their side contained three brothers. Tom, Mick and Nick Fenoughty. It remains the only time three brothers have featured in a cup final at Wembley. All three were in the side when they arrived at Field Mill, with Tom now player-manager.

Nick scored one of the goals which gave Matlock a surprise 2-1 lead at the break. The second half was a disaster for the Stags, one of their worst experiences at home especially in the cup. Nick Fenoughty scored from the spot for his second of the game, with Oxley and Scott adding further strikes. Non-league Matlock had pulled off a famous FA Cup giant-killing winning 5-2. Losing to a side several divisions below them was bad enough, losing at home was unbelievable but losing by such a scoreline was huge embarrassment for the club.

Morris acted straight away. Next day he signed Ernie Moss from Peterborough. Moss had won the Fourth Division during a seven year spell at Chesterfield, before spending a season at Peterborough. He and Randall had been at Chesterfield together and Morris was hoping the two could hit it off again.

The boost to the team was immediately noticeable. They won three on the trot to finish the year. Hodgson and Randall were on target against Wrexham and Chesterfield. Moss scored his first for the club against Port Vale.

The Wrexham game was an important win. The Red Dragons were managed by John Neal, before he moved on to Middlesbrough and then Chelsea. They were second to Shrewsbury in the table, but only on goal difference. Goals from Hodgson and Miller gave Stags a crucial victory. This was the eighth meeting between the two clubs in two years, with Stags only losing once.

The year ended with Mansfield fifth, now three points behind leaders Rotherham. Shrewsbury were second, Wrexham third and Brighton fourth. Brighton, Mansfield, Preston and Sheffield Wednesday were all on 26 points. Things were well set for a push towards promotion in the new year.

 

Join us for Part Five when we cover the second half of the 1976-77 season. Could Mansfield mount a push for promotion?

The Greatest Stag Do - Part Two - The story of the glory years for Mansfield Town

 

 

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

The Greatest Stag Do : Part One : The story of Mansfield Town's glory days

 

Hollywood loves this kind of story. Sports team, so close to oblivion turns things around to win against all the odds.

This is the story of a club who nearly dropped out of the league and went onto win two promotions in the next three years to reach the Second Division for the one and only time in their history.

Mansfield Town was formed in 1897, turning into a professional outfit four years later. They didn’t compete in the Football League until the season before football was stopped due to the Second World War.

Back then clubs had to apply for election to the league. Not just for those looking for promotion into the league but also those who may have been relegated. The first season after the War they finished bottom and only survived through a sympathy vote.

The third tier of the league was split into north and south, and that’s where the club remained until a top six finish the season before a Fourth Division was created, put them into the Third. It didn’t last as the following season they finished bottom and spent the next three years in Division Four.

In 1963 they won promotion only to drop back down nine years later. By this time they were managed by Danny Williams, who went on to guide Swindon Town to a League Cup victory at Wembley over Arsenal in 1969.

By April 1974 they were 17th and too close to the relegation zone, the board at Field Mill decided they’d had enough, a change was required.  To replace Williams was Dave Smith. Smith was coach at Newcastle United when they won their last piece of silver, the UEFA Fairs Cup in 1969. Mansfield was his first managerial appointment. A huge gamble.

They lost just one of their final seven games of the season and were comfortably safe. Smith then set about the summer break making the improvements he considered necessary to turn the team into contenders.

Terry Eccles had scored 20 goals in his first season at the club, but he shouldered the scoring responsibility on his own. He needed a partner.

Smith decided that partner would be Ray Clarke.

Clarke was a prolific goalscorer in Spurs’ youth team at the end of the 1960’s. He was part of the side which won the 1970 Youth Cup, playing alongside Graeme Souness and Steve Perryman. But he couldn’t get past Gilzean and Chivers to find a way into the first team. Bill Nicholson sold him to Swindon Town for £8,000 in 1973.

Again Clarke struggled to make an impression so Smith swooped for him. Mansfield paid what Swindon had for him, which was a decent sum for a Fourth Division club to spend. Smith obviously felt Clarke would benefit from learning his trade at a lower level as his professional career had seen him score just twice in 15 appearances.

He also signed Doug O’Connor from Barnsley. Another forward who could add some bite in attack.

The manager encouraged Gordon Hodgson to move with him from Newcastle United. Hodgson was in the squad which lost the FA Cup Final to Liverpool, and within weeks Smith had managed to persuade him to drop three divisions to Mansfield.

The season started with a bang. They won their first four matches with Clarke, Eccles and O’Connor finding the net. Their first defeat came at Stockport County in their sixth game of the season. They wouldn’t lose again for another nine games, winning six of them.

The match immediately following the Stockport loss saw Hodgson score his first for his new club and things were back on track.

By the third week of October they were three points clear at the top. Clarke had scored 11 by that time. He scored his 12th when they suffered just their second defeat of the season on a trip to Hartlepool. Defeats to Stockport and Hartlepool were odd seeing as both clubs were in the bottom four.

Eccles had been missing through injury for seven matches but crowned his return to the side with a goal in a 3-0 win at home to Mansfield.

Clarke was also on target, for the third game running. He would score in the next three too. Nine goals in six matches. His hat-trick (first of his professional career) in a 5-2 win against Doncaster took his tally to 18 for the season.

Their form after the Hartlepool defeat was stunning. Six straight wins, 19 goals scored and just five conceded.

Smith had a settled defence to rely on. Goalkeeper, Rod Arnold, had joined the club permanently from Wolves in 1973 after a loan spell a couple of years earlier.

Full-backs were Sandy Pate and Barry Foster. Stirlingshire-born Pate was in his sixth season at the club. He was the only survivor from the side which beat West Ham United 3-0 to reach the FA Cup Sixth Round for the only time in their history. It was a famous moment in the club’s existence against a side containing Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Billy Bonds, Martin Peters, Harry Redknapp and Trevor Brooking. Foster had come through the youth system at the club.

Kevin Bird and Colin Foster (no relation to Barry) had formed a strong central defensive partnership over the previous couple of seasons. But Bird was injured after the opening game and wouldn’t be seen again till the beginning of November.

Once Bird returned, the back five played together for the next 23 matches. As Stags’ fans will know, Arnold (440 Matches), Bird (272 Matches), Colin Foster (206 Matches) and Barry Foster (287 Matches) are some of the most experienced players the club has ever known.

Before November was out Mansfield were in FA Cup action. They were drawn at home to Wrexham, who were mid-table in Division Three at the time. A brace from Eccles helped the Stags ease to a 3-1 win against a side a division above them.

December

The beginning of December was to prove an important test. The Stags were two points clear at the top with Shrewsbury and Rotherham their nearest challengers, and also their first two opponents of the month.

Shrewsbury took to the pitch at Field Mill in front of easily the biggest crowd of the season. Mansfield had started with crowds of around 4,000 early in the season. This had raised to above 5,000 for the last four home matches. When the Shrews turned up they doubled the gate.

Against a side managed by player-manager Alan Durban, they included future league club managers, Graham Turner, Chic Bates and Ian Atkins. Durban was in Brian Clough’s Derby team which won the league in 1972, and like Smith at Mansfield, this was his first managerial role. John Lathan put the home side in front only to see Bates level before the break. But a second from Lathan in the second half and one from Eccles gave Mansfield a crucial victory.

The gap between the two clubs was now four points and given there were only two points for a win in those days, that was significant. Perhaps more important was the gap to Lincoln in fifth, which was now up to 10 points. Lincoln were managed by 30-year old Graham Taylor, who’d become the youngest league manager when he took over the club two years before.

With the second placed side negotiated, the third placed side were up next. But all thoughts of that had to take a back seat as the FA Cup reached the Second Round. The Stags were drawn away to Wigan Athletic. Wigan were yet to taste league football and were sitting at the top of the Northern Premier League, the division immediately below Mansfield in the pyramid.

The club were consistently one of the best in non-league football for many years, yet failed to gain election to the Football League. Ironically, they put out Shrewsbury in the FA Cup First Round in front of a bigger crowd than had packed into Field Mill when the same opponents visited. Yet they were still considered unsuitable for league football.

True to form, over 15,500 made it into Springfield Road to watch the game, one of the biggest crowds the Mansfield players would play in front of all season.

They needed Eccles to earn a replay. Two days later Field Mill had its highest attendance of the season thus far, 11,209, to see the Fourth Division club go through 3-1. Eccles was missing from the replay, but his replacement, O’Connor, took advantage with two goals.

Back in the league Rotherham weren’t considered as big a draw with 8,500 turning up and this possibly reflected the fact they were on a bad run, no win in their last three.

Alan Crawford, who’d spent a short time on loan at Mansfield, put the visitors in front but Hodgson equalised to gain a point.

With Shrewsbury held at home by Exeter, the Stags’ lead at the top was maintained.

The Christmas period saw them register comfortable wins over Crewe and Newport without conceding a goal.

1974 ended with the Stags four points clear of Shrewsbury at the top. There was a six-point gap to Chester City in third with Lincoln a further point adrift. Only three would go up so the 11-point advantage they had over Lincoln meant promotion was looking very possible.

Smith’s acquisition of Clarke had certainly been vindicated as the former Spurs player had hit 17 for the season. Eccles now had seven with the other new-boy, Hodgson chipping in with six.

Stags’ fans were going into the new year with increasing excitement for what could be.

1975

The traditional curtain-raiser for the new year was the FA Cup Third Round. For the first time in the season, Mansfield were up against a side from their division. Cambridge United were mid-table, 19 points in arrears of Mansfield. The two had played out a 2-2 draw at the Abbey Stadium back in September.

O’Connor was back on the bench, but Clarke scored his first FA Cup goal of his career and in front of nearly 10,500 it proved to be the only goal.

With the Third Round safely navigated Mansfield were able to reflect on other clubs not fairing so well. Peter Taylor’s Brighton lost to non-league Leatherhead. Taylor was in sole charge at the Goldstone Ground after Clough left in the previous July.

Tottenham were held to a draw by Second Division Nottingham Forest. Two days later Brian Clough arrived at the City Ground and his first game was the replay at White Hart Lane. Forest won 1-0.

Everton also struggled against non-league opposition when they were held at home by Altrincham. Manchester United were held at home by Walsall, although this was the season United spent as a Second Division side so the gap between the two clubs wasn’t as great as it’s been for most of their existence. To emphasise this, Walsall won the replay 3-2.

There was further non-league success when Stafford won at Rotherham, 2-0. Arsenal needed a hat-trick from Brian Kidd in a replay to get past York City, after being held at home.

Mansfield’s prize for the Fourth Round was a tie at Third Division Bury.

Vagaries of the fixture schedule had Shrewsbury at their next opponents in the league, just a month after the first meeting. Jim McCaffrey’s fourth of the season proved to be the difference between the two teams, and Mansfield now had completed the double over their nearest rivals.

Town now had a five-point lead at the top with a game in hand. The gap to the non-promotion places was now up to 13 points. They were riding on the crest of a wave.

Clarke and Eccles (2) were back on target when they swept past Torquay a week later, before FA Cup action again. Their partnership was now up to 29 in all competitions, 27 in the league. Arnold and his defence had now kept four successive clean-sheets in the league and hadn’t conceded more than one goal in a match since mid-November (seven matches).

The team’s home form was incredible, unbeaten all season winning all but one of their last eight matches. But now four successive away wins, and seven wins in their last eight away matches was making it increasingly difficult for the rest of the league to stay with them.

January ended with a trip to Gigg Lane to take on Bury. They were 16th at the time in the Third Division. Mansfield were in far better spirits and it showed. McCaffrey and Clarke scored either side of half-time to put Mansfield into the Fifth Round again.

Leatherhead’s fairy tale ended at Leicester but not until after they were 2-0 up at the break. Stafford too, finally succumbed at home to Peterborough. Leeds, having dispensed with Clough’s services after the last round, were held at home by non-league Wimbledon.

Fulham and Nottingham Forest played out a titanic tussle. No such thing as penalties in FA Cup matches back then, the two sides needed four matches to separate them. Fulham, containing Bobby Moore and Alan Mullery, won the third replay, 2-1.

Mansfield were then drawn out of the hat to entertain Carlisle United at home in the Fifth Round. United were competing in the First Division for the first time in their history, but they were in the relegation zone and Stags’ fans were hopeful their boys were in better shape.

January ended with Mansfield still five points clear, but now had two games in hand on Shrewsbury who had only won one of their four league matches during the month. The Stags were 12 points ahead of Newport County, who were now fifth. 19 games to go.

February

Brentford put an end to the winning run by holding Mansfield to a 1-1 draw at Field Mill. Eccles taking his league tally into double figures.

Meanwhile Shrewsbury and Doncaster played out a crazy 11 goal thriller, nine of them coming in the second half. Top scorer, Ray Haywood hit a hat-trick as the Shrews won 7-4.

Mansfield were then held to a draw at Bradford City and it was the first time since September they had gone two matches without a win.

Disappointment over the draw was tempered when they heard Shrewsbury had lost at Lincoln

Cup fever had the town gripped. The biggest crowd of the season (18,293) packed into Field Mill. Stags’ fans were buoyant with their team unbeaten in their last 18 matches in all competitions.

Carlisle United were finding their new life in the First Division hard going, losing five of their last six and languishing in the drop zone, five points from safety. United had never reached the Quarter-Finals stage of the FA Cup before, and with Mansfield only ever having achieved that once before (1968-69) both sets of fans were very excited.

Alan Ross was in fine form in the visitors’ goal, repelling all Town could throw at him. Bill Green made a couple of clearances off the line. Bobby Owen gave United a first half lead and they held on to win. It was possibly the first real disappointment Stags’ fans had experienced all season. The Stags had acquitted themselves well, and certainly weren’t outplayed. Smith cracked open the champagne at the end of the game. He’d been carrying it around in the boot of his car. Carlisle manager, Alan Ashman applauded their opponents;

“They deserve the champagne. Mansfield are a very good side, and I am pleased to get away with a win this afternoon.”

It was the first time the team had failed to score in any match since the end of September. But it was the end of the cup run. It was also the end of their unbeaten home record, which had stretched as far as 23 matches.

For Carlisle they would only go one more round as they lost to eventual finalists, Fulham. The Cottagers were having a cup run to remember. In the Fifth Round they won at Goodison Park. They were a Second Division club, with Everton sitting just a point behind leaders Stoke City in the First Division.

With Everton gone Ipswich and West Ham became the favourites for the competition. West Ham it was who eventually won it beating Fulham in the Final.

Mansfield’s lead at the top in the league was cut to three points but their cup exploits meant they had three games in hand on Shrewsbury.

Lincoln had emerged as challengers for promotion. They were fourth with games in hand. But still 10 points off Mansfield.

Back in the league they travelled to Doncaster Rovers. The two teams were produced seven goals in their first meeting when Town ran out 5-2 winners. They were 2-1 up at the break in this one with Colin Foster and Eccles on target. What happened next no one saw coming. Eccles scored again but Donny came back with two goals from Michael Kitchen and one from Tony Curran. Mansfield went down 3-4, and they were now winless for four matches. Clarke hadn’t scored for a month. Shrewsbury reduced the gap to just a point, but they’d played three games more. Chester and Lincoln both won behind them to add to the pressure. Was this a mini-crisis?

The Stags then travelled to Graham Taylor’s Lincoln in midweek and came away with a goalless draw. What was happening?

Shrewsbury were also held to a goalless draw, so Town were still top by a point.

Join us for part two where we cover the conclusion of the 1974-75 season.

All photos courtesy of stagsnet