Where Will The Backlog End?

The backlog of fixtures could cost us dear. We don't even know whether it stops here-if there's a bad winter we might have a number of other games to slot into the midweeks this season, and then there are international call-ups to consider; if the postponement of the Histon game is anything to go by we'll get plenty of help from the Welsh F.A. to ensure we'll not have to go into a game without our manager, so we could lose two more Saturday games.

Of course, this will have a financial impact as well, as the Barrow postponement already has.

It makes you wonder whether having runs in the F.A. Trophy and Setanta Shield will be worthwhile, although you can't field a weakened team in the latter tournament, which has strict rules governing how many changes you can make (if I recall correctly eleven of your sixteen must have been in your team or on the bench for one of the last two games.)

I've got a horrible feeling we'll end up playing Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday in the final week of the season. Better make sure we're up before then, eh?

We Are Real Madrid!

I was listening to the excellent Mansfield Town podcast Stags Talk the other day and was enormously heartened! They were reflecting on the F.A. Trophy draw which paired them with us at The Racecourse on the weekend after next, and you've just got to hear it to believe it. They spoke of us with such respect-and posters on their message board did the same.

I've never heard us described in such terms before-you'd think they'd drawn Manchester United or Real Madrid! They felt the journey was a waste of time-one of the reporters said he wasn't going to bother to go-and felt a draw away to us was the worst they could imagine. Cool!

An interesting point which came from their discussion was that they felt they might field a very weak team as cup competitions were very low in their priorities. Of course, we might do the same, but with the size of our squad we'd still have an experienced side; Brian Little's side in fact!

In fact, as a bit of fun, here's an eleven made up of players who weren't in the starting eleven against Stevenage. It smacks of the start of the season, but it's probably be able to trouble Mansfield Reserves!

Anthony Williams

Christian Smith Steve Evans Shaun Pejic Carl Tremarco

Shaun Whalley Levi Mackin Tom Kearney Neil Taylor

Patrick Suffo Michael Proctor