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Action was soon back to normal though, as they welcomed Exeter to Field Mill, for the rearranged game from earlier in the month. They had shown plenty of inconsistency over the season and sat mid table, but you wouldn't have thought that the way they started, as they flew out of the blocks and into the lead within the first ten minutes, Christian Roberts volleying home from the penalty spot. This seemed to shock the home side, and for the first time this season, they couldn't respond, giving their worst 45 minute performance since he had taken charge. The oonly saving grace was that it was still only a one goal advantage going into the interval. Until he was forced to tear up his half time notes, a mistake from Karl Owen allowing Roberts in, and the striker rolled the ball into the path of Mudge, who slashed it past the stranded Pilkington Peter absolutely ripped into his team at half time, and they responded in kind, battering their opponents in the second half. Chance after chance came their way, Moukoko pulling one back and then, eventually, after it looked like it wouldn't come, the equaliser from Liam Lawrence. They had worked hard to get back into their game, and their mentality meant they went for the win and didn't settle for the point. This however, would backfire in the worst way, as the winner came in their own goal, a long ball over the top looking harmless, until a slip from Clarke meant he lost control, and Christian Roberts marauded through to slip the ball under Pilkington and seal the win for the visitors -- January 2002 Results [Division Three unless otherwise stated] Shrewsbury 0-1 Mansfield [Greenacre 87] FA Cup Round Three Rushden 0-1 Mansfield [Olsen 20] Mansfield 5-1 Oxford [Edwards 2, Moukoko 10,16,21, Greenacre 53 ; Omoyimni 48] Cheltenham 1-1 Mansfield [Hopkins 2 ; Moukoko 5] FA Cup Round Four Mansfield 2-2 Crystal Palace [Beckham 3, Littlejohn 44 ; Kirovski 26, Pollock pen 48] Mansfield 2-3 Exeter [Roberts 7,80, Mudge 44 ; Moukoko 51, Lawrence 71]

He had criticised the penalty decision in the media afterwards, quite rightly, and while they were still in the competition, he could ideally have done without the replay and the extra game but it was out of his hands. He had arrived at the ground on Monday morning, an hour before the players were due in, and he hadn't been sat there more than five minutes before his phone rang "Peter Daish" "..." "Oh. And what can I do for you Mr Packer?" "..." "Yes I am aware what I said about the referee and the penalty decision in my post match interview" "..." "No I don't think it was inappropriate. It was a scandalous decision that essentially cost us the game. Three officials missed it" "..." "Are you serious?" "..." "Well thankyou very much Mr Packer. Have a nice day..." He slammed the phone down as he said it "...you arsehole!" The FA had decided his comments after the Palace game were inappropriate and had fined him £1,000, which he was absolutely furious with -- His mood had only slightly improved over the day, and the lads were worked hard in training, and he was left sat in his office after everyone had gone home. Having thought he was alone, he threw his mug against the wall in frustration "Am I interrupting?" Charlotte had appeared at the door "Sorry love. Stressful day" "I can tell. Just wanted to let you know I'm finishing up all the paperwork then I'm off for the day" He paused, as a thought entered his head "Have you had lunch?" "Sorry?" "Have you had lunch? There's a nice little pub around the corner. It'd be nice to have some company?" She looked a little surprised but there was a slight hint of a smile on her face "Actually, that would be nice. I've not had anything yet as it happens" "That's settled then. Grab your coat and we'll head out" -- They had entered the pub, a local Greene King that served decent food, and within five minutes had sat down at a table with drinks, a pint of Bitter for him and a Vodka and Tonic for her. Five minutes later they had ordered food and were sat back at the table "Sorry about earlier. Just pressures of the job, you know?" "Oh don't worry. In comparison with some of the other managers we've had, you're pretty calm" He chuckled "I'll take your word for that. So what do you do outside of work?" "Well, I'm actually studying at the Open University in my spare time" "Oh really? What are you studying?" "Journalism. It's my ambition to be a reporter. This is a job that helps me pay the bills really" "Good for you love. If you ever need extra time off for it, you know you just have to ask right?" Her eyes lit up "Do you mean that?" "Of course" The lunch had been pleasant, and Charlotte had proved to be good company. It had been nice for Peter to talk about other things rather than football, and a couple of hours relaxation was exactly what he needed to get away from it all

Writers Note ; I'm off on holiday for a week in the morning so these will be the last updates for a short while --- "I don't think we'll need wholesale changes to be honest, just a few tweaks here and there, and we'll be more than competitive" The meeting was drawing to a close, with all four men managing to agree to disagree, but it was time to discuss the possible transfer activity "I agree. We don't want the squad to become bloated though" "I've earmarked several players that we could let go if we got the right bids..." He handed out the piece of paper across the table, watching as eyebrows were slightly raised "...so we've got to be prepared for that" "Boss, is this right? Bobby Hassell and Adam Barrett?" "Yeah. I think we have good depth at centre half, and there's two or three I've got an eye on to replace them" The meeting had drawn it's conclusion, and the next time they saw each other was two days later, on the coach trip for the away game at Cheltenham. They had just lost their best player, Mike Duff, so he had drawn up an idea for the play to come mainly down the left hand side where they were at their weakest, but this was thwarted by the way the home side took the game to them, something that hadn't happened for a while. Within a minute and a half of the game kicking off, they were in front, Martin Devaney and Jamie Victory combining to set up the on loan David Hopkins, who slotted the ball past Pilkington. This was a bit of a shock to the system, and Peter was delighted with his side's response, as they levelled up within three minutes, Moukoko spinning his man to collect the ball from Kos, and he poked it past the 'keeper with the outside of his left foot From then on, it was a game of two 'keepers. Steve Banks thwarted a string of chances, most notably from Greenacre, Kos, Lawrence and Jervis. Greenacre had done well to get himself a chance as he had two players on him all the time, but it was his terrific movement that had caused him to get the chance. At the other end, chances fell for the home side too, Martin Devaney the main culprit as he missed a hat trick of opportunities, the worst being a four yard tap in that he somehow guided wide. Neither side found the way to break the deadlock, despite their best efforts, and they dropped points for the first time since October -- The FA Cup had been reasonable, drawing them at home for the Fourth Round. The run in the competition had managed to boost the finances, so there was at least room to wiggle if needed, but with a visit from Crystal Palace, there was a chance of progressing even further. There was no question of resting players for this game, and he went as strong as possible, although Greenacre, Kos and Moukoko did get rested. Michael Beckham justified his selection within three minutes, scoring his first goal for the club when he took the ball out of the air and slipped past the last defender, firing across the 'keeper and in to the far corner. The players that Palace had at their disposal were, without question, of better quality, and their top scorer Jovan Kirovski levelled the scores, collecting the ball from Dougie Freedman and instinctively firing into the top corner. The heart of his players was never in question, and he was delighted to see how they responded to the equaliser, playing their usual game, not panicking, and they got their reward just before half time, Jervis firing a long ball to Adrian Littlejohn, and the striker using his pace to break clear and round the goalkeeper, slotting into the goal with ease. They were buoyant coming out after the break, but a shocking decision three minutes into the second half dampened that mood. Freedman went over in the area, and a penalty was awarded immediately by the referee. Jamie Clarke was absolutely adamant he never touched the striker, and replays would back that up, but unfortunately, the decision stood, and Jamie Pollock stepped up and fired the ball home. The game was still fairly open, both sides having good chances, but the deadlock remained unbroken, and the referee's final whistle signalled a replay

He arrived at the ground on the morning of the next game, a little earlier than usual because he wanted to get a few bits done, and as he walked into the entrance doors, he was accosted by the Groundsman "Morning Boss. Erm, slight problem" "Problem?" "You better come and see" He followed him out to the ground, and was greeted by a hell of a sight. The weather had not been great over the last couple of days, but it had created a large pool of water on the right hand side of the field. The water had pooled to about 2 feet deep, and he knew, immediately, that the game would not be able to be played The referee had arrived and expressed the same view, and the game was duly confirmed off just before midday. While he obviously wanted to play every game, it wouldn't do any harm for the players to have a bit of extra rest over the weekend. So preparations were to begin for the game on Wednesday night The rest had done the players the world of good, and come the visit of Oxford, he had a full strength team to pick from, and he duly did pick his strongest eleven. Unfortunately for the away side, the game was out of their grasp within the opening half an hour, as Mansfield raced into a 4-0 lead. The scoring started less than two minutes into the game, David Edwards side footing home from ten yards out after a Greenacre knock down. Edwards turned provider for the second, sliding a beautiful ball through for Moukoko and he deftly dinked it over the 'keeper to make it two. The Belgian doubled his personal tally with a magnificent free kick, stepping up and curling it into the top corner, giving the 'keeper absolutely no chance. The game was out of reach by this point, and even more so when Moukoko completed his hat trick, scoring his 15th of the season in doing so, with a deft sweeping finish, and there was no way back. Emmanuel Onoyimni did grab a consolation, continuing his good form, and the talk of him leaving would soon escalate, but Chris Greenacre added to his two assists by finally grabbing his - seemingly now - customary goal to ensure the four goal margin was restored -- "I'm sorry Peter, we never wanted you to find out like this..." The sweat poured off him. He sat in bed, panting slightly, taking several seconds to realise where he was. He had bolted upright, having had one of those dreams he thought he had managed to to extinguish from his mind He swung his legs out of the bed, and padded downstairs to make himself a cold drink. It had been a while since the dream had infested his mind, and he wondered why now he had suddenly had it again. To try and distract himself, he opened his laptop up and brought up his reports folder. While he went through the player reports, he had, in his mind at least, earmarked four or five players that he felt would be, for want of a better word, sellable assets in the summer, should the right offer come in, and he wanted to bring the necessary reports for his meeting with his scouting and coaching team at the end of the month .. "Jesus gaffer. You look terrible" He had walked in to the the greeting from Spencer Field. He was, of course, aware of the bags under his eyes that showed his lack of sleep "Morning to you too" "Sorry. Bad night?" "Nah just didn't sleep. I'll be fine, couple of cups of coffee and be right as rain" "If you say so. Anyway, don't forget..." He tapped his watch as he walked away "...meeting in half an hour"

The FA Cup had entered the business phase now, as the Premier League clubs started to enter the competition, but the draw had been reasonable kind in giving them a chance to progress, as a trip to Rushden, a fellow Division Three side, had been thrown out of the hat. He was slightly torn between what sort of team to play, even while travelling to the game on the coach, and it was Russ Beardsmore who seemed to sense this "We going full strength?" Beardsmore plonked himself into the seat across from his manager "Not sure. Instinct is to rest a few as we're getting into heavy territory. Be different if it was a Premier League side mind" "Yeah that makes sense. Who's in contention?" "Well Moukoko looked a bit out of sorts yesterday so I think he needs a rest. David Edwards has a slight strain, so he's a definite. Thinking Vitor, Vance and Mikey to come in" "Mikey? Beckham?" "Aye. He's really impressed me in training and he's hungry, so he's earnt it" Peter was true to his word, and Michael Beckham did come in for his debut, while Geir Olsen, Glenn Hartmann, Vance Warner and Vitor Pereira also came into the side, and Adrian Littlejohn replaced Moukoko. The home side had been on a horrendous run of form before the end of the year, sliding from Playoff contenders to a mid table slot after just one win in twelve, so their confidence was shot to pieces, and this was obvious in the way they started the game, as they were slow and cumbersome, feeling out their opponents. The advantage was seized though, although it could have been a lot earlier, as Beckham and Littlejohn both had decent efforts, but it was the little Jamaican who set up the opener, using his pace to slip past his man before cutting the ball back for Geir Olsen to meet it and smack it into the roof of the net. From then on, there was only one winner in the game, but, perhaps slightly worryingly, they couldn't find anymore goals, despite their best efforts, and Billy Turley earnt the Man of the Match award after a string of second half saves, but regardless, Round Four beckoned .. With more than half the season gone, the talk of promotion around the club was becoming more fastidious, and this was understandable considering the position they found themselves in, but Peter made sure that this talk wasn't going round the players. Fortunately, he had a level headed group of lads and this wasn't a worry. That said, they had been told they had a job to do and he expected full effort up to the end of the season Secretly, he had been planning for the next season, sending his scouts out to look at possibilities, while he had the difficult task of deciding which of the expiring contracts in his squad would be extended and which players would be released. This was always a tough job but it had to be done and he didn't shy away from tasks. He looked down at his list of players, wondering if he could get any of them tied up before the end of the current campaign Lee Collins was a central defender currently at Halesowen, and while he had expressed interest in joining, he had made noises about seeing out the season. The same could be said for Torquay defender Mike Williamson, but he had an expiring contract in the summer, which allowed him to stay out the season and agree a move, and a contract had been offered. He felt that there was enough of a core in the squad to more than compete in Division Two - if they got there - and just a few additions would be more than adequate

There was little time to celebrate the New Year, and as 2002 rolled around, so did Division Three action, as the team travelled to Shrewsbury for the next action. He had a full set of players to choose from, and decided that he would go full strength and try and kick off the year with a win, but against their Playoff chasing hosts, it would be tough going. That said, the first half was a fantastic spectacle, as both sides attacked and went for goals, and both 'keepers were forced into several saves. Matt Redmile saw his header saved from a corner, while Jamie Tolley slid through Jemson, who fired wide. At the other end, Chris Greenacre saw his shot tipped away by Ian Dunbavin, Moukoko curled a shot against the bar, and Agustin saw two long range drives saved, before the Spaniard provided a chance for Renner who, with all good intentions, tried to open the scoring but rounded the 'keeper before running the ball too far and firing wide. The game continued in the same vein, with both Dunbavin and Pilkington forced into making several saves apiece, althought the guilt edged chance that Agustin missed should have ended up in the net. However, just as the game looked to be heading for a draw, Chris Greenacre finally broke the deadlock, latching onto the long ball from Agustin, moving forward unchallenged and finishing with a composure that had been a staple of his season, to seal the points "Morning Liam" "Morning gaffer. You wanted me?" "Sure, come on in" The midfielder entered his office. Since their disagreement over his contract, he had conducted himself brilliantly, so he had taken it upon himself to have a word with him about the situation "So, first of all, I wanted to say well done for your attitude and work rate since our last conversation" "Thanks Boss. I've still got a job to do, I know that" "Second, I just wanted to reiterate that I do appreciate that you want a release clause in your contract. I just can't let it be so low, that's all" "I know that gaffer. I was thinking, what about if we talk again at the end of the season. Let's get promoted and then maybe it will make a difference?" "OK. Tell you what son, let's do that"

Just caught up with this Mark Superb as always from you my good sir

His own festive period had been fairly quiet, spending the afternoon in his local enjoying a Christmas Day pint, before an evening in front of the telly, watching highlights of football from the season and having a takeaway. Since she had walked out on him, it was a period that he just hadn't been interested in He was delighted to be back into football action for the final game of 2001, and the players were in buoyant mood following their unexpected extended break, which meant mid table Rochdale were in for a tough game. The game began in this fashion, with a couple of chances coming early on, Renner and Kos testing the hands of the visiting 'keeper. Renner and Karl Owen were linking well down the right hand side, and it was this combination that created the first goal, Renner sliding the ball for the overlapping Owen, who whipped a cross in for Greenacre to head home. The striker had been a goal threat all season, and this was his 22nd goal of the League campaign. He wouild have come away disappointed he didn't add to that total though, as he had several more chances before departing ten minutes from the end. How the game was still only 1-0 at this point was a mystery, as it had been a wave of yellow and blue attacks through the majority of the game, but two goals in the final few minutes of the match settled the game. David Edwards grabbed the second, picking up the loose ball and jinking past three players, continuing his run after releasing the ball to Bradley, who's shot was parried back into the Welshman's path. Liam Lawrence had replaced Greenacre and the substitute sealed the win, collecting a pass from Kos and smashing the ball home into the bottom corner -- December 2001 Results [Division Three unless stated] Mansfield 4-0 Luton [Kos 9,90+1, Moukoko 30, Agustin 84] FA Cup Round Two Scunthorpe 1-4 Mansfield [Bradley 5,53,67, Moukoko 83 ; Cheeseman 25] Vans Trophy Round One Blackpool 1-1 Mansfield (aet) [Kos 66 ; Fenton 69 - Blackpool won 6-5 on pens] Mansfield 4-0 Darlington [Greenacre 9,39, Edwards 31, Kos 33] Mansfield 1-0 York [Lazarus 33] Hartlepool 0-2 Mansfield [Lawrence m/pen 45+1, Moukoko 62, Westwood OG 73] Mansfield 3-0 Rochdale [Greenacre 26, Edwards 89, Lawrence 90+2]

Despite his contract negotiations stalling, Lawrence was still an important member of the squad, and he wasn't prepared to jeopardise his side's chances because of contract issues. This meant that he was in the starting eleven for the trip to Hartlepool. They were struggling for consistency and sat 18th in the table, and this showed early on in the game, as Peter saw his side control the game. Lawrence fizzed a shot wide, before he slipped in Greenacre, who rounded the 'keeper but took it too far towards the touchline and couldn't find the goal. Jervis tested the 'keeper too, and his corner found the head of Hartmann but again, Jim Provett saved. It looked like it might be a frustrating game for them, until injury time at the end of the first half, when Greenacre clipped it round the corner for Moukoko, who was tripped by the defender, and Lawrence stepped up to take the spot kick Whether his contract was on his mind or not, Peter didn't know, but he blazed the kick over and the game was scoreless at half time. Lawrence was replaced at half time, and it was his replacement, Victor Renner, who set up the opening goal, receiving the ball from Kos, clipping it over the top for Moukoko and the Belgian guided the ball past Provett. It seemed to finally put the home side to rest, and the game was sealed eleven minutes later, Jervis marauding down the left and fizzing in a low cross, that missed everyone except Chris Westwood, the unfortunate defender turning the ball into his own net and sealing the defeat for his side -- "What we gonna do about Liam boss?" Beardsmore had brought up the topic on the coach journey back "I honestly don't know Russ. I took him off coz his head wasn't in it but I can't afford for him to hold the team back" "I agree. Might be worth speaking to him at training?" "I'll mull it over tonight and then we can discuss it before training starts on Monday" They had decided to give Lawrence a rest from the next game, starting him on the bench, and try and gauge his mental state through training, and in all fairness to the lad, he trained really well, and when told he would be on the bench for the Boxing Day game, he took it really well. At the end of training, he gathered the players together "Right lads, let's have your attention!" The noises subsided and he had their attention "OK. Well first of all, I've been delighted with the way this season has gone. You've all exceeded what we expected, and given every ounce of effort, and for that, I thank you all. That's all I've ever asked for. Secondly, we've decided that there will be no training tomorrow. Go home, spend Christmas with your families, and we'll see you back here on Boxing Day at 11am sharp for the Rochdale game. Merry Christmas" The players had obviously not expected this, and they all returned the Christmas wishes on their way out of the ground Once all the players had gone, he was sat in his office finalising a few bits of paperwork "You need anything else gaffer?" Beardsmore had popped his head around the door "No thanks Russ. You and the rest of the staff get yourselves off, enjoy your Christmas" "You sure?" "Positive. See you Wednesday"

Hartmann had impressed in training, putting himself about and using his size and power to impose upon the midfield, which allowed Peter a small smile. That was exactly what he had wanted from his new signing. Hartmann had trained so well that he earnt himself a starting spot for the next game, as York made the trip to Field Mill. There were more changes as he tried to use the squad to it's full potential, and a much changed team took to the field. David Edwards tested Alan Fettis early on, while Shayne Bradley fired wide when he really should have hit the target. The game was a battle, York realising they couldn't compete on a football scale, so they made sure they were physical and tried to stop the home side playing, and in all fairness, it took a little bit of magic to open the scoring, Victor Renner flicking the ball around his marker with an outrageous piece of skill, before an outside of the foot cross found Neil Lazarus and the midfielder slotted the ball home on the run. The goals dried up after that, but that wasn't for lack of chances, as Bradley, substitute Stuart Dawe, Renner and Edwards all forced saves, but the game petered out into a simple 1-0 win .. "We need to try and tie down all of them. Chris and Wouter have already agreed, and there's at least four more we need to sign" Peter was sat with Russell Beardsmore and Spencer Field assessing the squad contracts. He had realised that their current form and the possibility of promotion meant that their players could attract attention, and he wanted to ensure that didn't happen "OK. Who do you have in mind?" "David Jervis. He's been superb this season. Liam Lawrence and Moukoko, definitely. Jamie Clarke too" "Fair. Speak to them individually?" He nodded "Aye. I'll get on to their agents tomorrow and sound it out" The men parted ways, and the next day, things went well, with Moukoko, Jervis and Jamie Clarke all agreed extensions fairly quickly, but Liam Lawrence proved more of a stumblimg block "I'm sorry gaffer, I need the clause in the contract" He sighed and rubbed the top of his nose "Liam, I get that. I really do. But I can't allow you to have a clause that's so low. If we're going to lose you to another club we need to be compensated" "Mr Daish..." Lawrence's agent had decided to interject himself at this point "...my client has made his terms clear. If you're not prepared to reach an agreement, then this conversation is over" Peter shot a look at the agent that he knew Lawrence had seen "No offence Mr Crooks, but don't you dare take that tone with me. I've made our offer, we've agreed to everything but the fee release clause. If that's not enough for you, then we agree. This conversation is over" With that, he gathered his files and walked out of the room, leaving Lawrence and his agent sitting at an empty desk

"Honestly, I've really got no interest in this silly competition. We've got enough to bloody be getting on with" "I get that gaffer but it's a good chance to stamp our mark and show we mean business" He stood there pondering for a few seconds, but his mind was made up "No. Rest a few lads. Chris, Jamie, David and Moukoko can all stay behind. Wouter, Kevin, Liam and Karl on the bench" The competition is question was the Vans Trophy, and with Second Division Blackpool the opponents in the first round, Peter had taken the decision to rest eight of his first team regulars, four dropping to the bench while four stayed back in Mansfield. While he would never send a team out that he didn't think could win a game, he did think it was a good opportunity for some of the fringe players to impress. It was a slow start from both sides, the early stages seeing both sides finding their feet and coming to terms with each other, and it wasn't until Victor Renner fired a shot wide in the eighteenth minute that any goal was tested. The pace did pick up a little after that, and reserve 'keeper Michael Bingham had to make three good saves in the first half, as Graham Fenton, Danny Coid and Richie Wellens all created chances, At the other end, Renner was causing all sorts of problems and Geir Olsen was taking every opportunity to bomb forward, and it was the Norwegian who had the best chance for Mansfield, striding through before hitting straight at the 'keeper The second half started with a blow, an injury to Neil Lazarus forcing a change, and Wouter Kos came into the game. This was the turning point as the little maestro controlled the tempo from that point, picking pass after pass to his teammates. It was the Dutchman who was the scorer though, Renner feeding Vitor Pereira down the left and the Portuguese full back sliding it back to the edge of the box for Kos to drive home the opener. The home side were level not long after, Fenton capitalising on a mistake by Vance Warner and racing through to slot home. It wasn't the best game to watch, but the Division Three leaders more than held their own for the final 20 minutes, aswell as 30 minutes of added time, and penalties beckoned. Despite their tired legs and the effort they'd put in, there were volunteers aplenty, and the first ten penalties, five apiece from each side, found the net in a sublime exhibition. Tommy Jaszcun stepped up and just about scored the eleventh, Bingham getting a hand to it but not enough to keep it out, and then it was the turn of Victor Renner. The youngster had been a bit part player so far but had been one of the best players on the pitch. Inevitably though, this meant he put just too much purchase on the shot and it sailed wide of the post to condemn them to defeat -- While not hugely disappointed, and somewhat encouraged by the performance of his fringe players, he had still felt the need for reinforcements in the middle of the pitch, and just two days later, he had brought one in. Glenn Hartmann was a 6'4 giant of a German, who could also represent Norway. He was physical, read the game well and wouldn't shirk a tackle, just the kind of 'protector' - for want of a better word - that the creative players needed. His wealth of experience would prove vital too, and keen to get back playing having been without a club since June, he penned a three year deal within an hour of discussing terms He wasn't in the squad for the next game, but did take a seat in the stands for the visit of Darlington, and he wasn't disappointed as his new teammates put on a show in an emphatic performance. They were back to full strength for the game, and that showed because by half time, the game was out of sight at 4-0. Greenacre had continued his golden touch, heading home the opener from a Jervis corner, before the striker flicked the ball on for David Edwards for the second, a goal that was out of the very top drawer, the Welshman running on to collect Greenacre's flick, letting the ball run across him and unleashing a stunning volley into the top corner. Maybe this stunned the visitors into submission, and less than two minutes later it was three, Kos this time collecting Karl Owen's crossfield pass and following his midfield partners lead and clipping home. Greenacre scored his second, and a third in eight minutes, to kill off any slim hope there may have been, and 4-0 it stayed to extend the lead at the top to 17 points

His playing career was fairly unspectacular. He considered himself very lucky to have played for the Everton side in the 80's that he did, the talent in that squad was immense, and had Paisley's Liverpool not been around, they'd have dominated English football. He never harbored regrets about the way things turned out at Old Trafford. It was just one of those things, many footballers have gone through something similar, and he always vowed not to live his life with regrets. That said, his early life hadn't seen the introduction of football until he was 10. His adoptive father had taken him to a game as a birthday present, shown him the matchday experience, if you will, and from then on, he was hooked. He began kicking a ball outside his house from the morning after, playing in the park, and it soon became obvious he had somewhat of a talent for the game He joined the local boys club not long after, before eventually his school team found a place for him, and it was there he was spotted by Everton. They were actually scouting one of his teammates at the time, but his performance in the game, the North West Counties Schools Final, turned their attention to him. Within a week, he had spoken to their chief scout and manager, and he had signed on, never expecting his career to follow the path it did .. The idea of promotion had been flirted, but dismissed just as quickly, as there was still lots of business to take care of first. While they were a team that could outscore anybody, and so far they had shown that, it only took an injury or two to key players, suspensions, and there's always going to be a loss of form somewhere along the line. He didn't want his players to become complacent, and that was the message that was sent across to the players as they welcomed 4th placed Luton to Field Mill Vance Warner had come into the team for Jamie Clarke, who was in need of a slight rest, while Neil Lazarus replaced David Edwards, who had felt a twinge in his back in training a few days earlier, so he wasn't risked. The game had potential to be tough, as the visitors were a good side, but Wouter Kos gave them an ideal start as he raced onto a through ball that was slipped through to him by Moukoko, and the midfielder slotted the ball under the 'keeper to give them the lead. Their dominance was for all to see, as they controlled the game up to that point, and it was half an hour into the game when the lead was doubled, Jervis sending a ball over the top to Moukoko, and the Belgian, continuing his rich vein of form, cut inside and curled a low shot into the bottom corner past the outstretched fingers of the 'keeper. The visitors did perform a lot better in the second half, as Carl Griffiths, Liam George and Nuno Valois all created chances and forced saves from Pilkington, while Greenacre and Disley created the best chances for Mansfield, but the game wasn't secured until the final ten minutes, as Agustin, with a low drive, and the Kos, with his second of the game, following up a Greenacre shot, sealed a 4-0 win, one which, in truth, flattered them slightly -- "Penny for them gaffer?" Russell Beardsmore had walked into the TV room to find his manager staring off into space "Sorry Russ, was miles away" "What's up? Even you can't find anything negative about things at the minute?" This brought a laugh "Not quite. We need some reinforcements in midfield though. Wouter and Dave are playing majority of minutes and they need to start getting rested somewhere. Lazarus and Olsen are decent but one more would be ideal" "OK. I'll get Spence onto it" The team were set to travel for their next game, as FA Cup action saw them drawn against Scunthorpe. A division above, albeit struggling, it was a game that Peter felt was very winnable, so the only changes he made were bringing in Bradley for Greenacre, who stayed home to get some rest, Carlos Marques for Vance Warner and Geir Olsen in for Wouter Kos, but other than that it was a strong side who took to the field. The home side looked sluggish from the start, misplacing several early passes, and the crowd were clearly getting on their back, and it was one of these loose passes that led to the goal, Moukoko nipping in to intercept and sliding through Bradley, who curled the ball home really well. He usually took his opportunity when he played, and while he hadn't made anymore noise about regular game time, it might not be long before it rose to the surface again. The goal seemed to wake Scunthorpe up after that, and Alex Calvo-Garcia tested Pilkington a couple of times, but it was youngster Adam Cheeseman who levelled the game, racing through on goal and finishing underneath the advancing Pilkington It was a fairly even game after that, both sides feeling each other out, and it was eight minutes into the second half that a moment of magic brought the game to life. Moukoko sprayed the ball out wide to David Jervis, and the fullback hit an absolutely sensational pass with the outside of his left foot. It sailed through the air, right into the path of Shayne Bradley, who, in one motion, took it down and struck it firmly into the goal. It was a wonderful goal, worthy of winning any game, and it was almost a shame there were a couple more goals added, as Bradley tapped in from four yards to complete his hat trick, before Moukoko sealed the points with a simple finish, and the Third Round beckoned

The FA Cup game had been a distraction, but a positive one, from league action, but on their return, he was faced with some transfer activity. The reserve squad had been looking a bit bare and he felt some additions were needed, so he had added two young players to the ranks. Young striker Michael Beckham was still very much a work in progress, raw and inexperienced, but scout Spencer Field had seen enough to warrant him to be offered a deal. Explosive, sharp and a good reader of the game, he was someone they felt they could work with and develop. He was joined by Lloyd Dyer. Having been deemed not good enough by current Division One leaders West Brom, he had been released less than ten days earlier, and he was a player Field had really liked, urging a contract offer be sent to him. It was, and the young midfielder duly signed on the dotted line. Feeling he needed an extra striking option, he had also faxed offers off for two players. Stuart John Dawe was already on the radar, but Michael Dunwell of Bishop Auckland had also been brought to his attention, although his current season tally of fourteen goals in nine games might make him a little harder to pry away, but an offer was made nonetheless The fourth and final game of the short month was another away game. That made it four out of four. He had made a mental note to sound out the chairman about complaining about whoever does the schedules as that was bloody ridiculous, the team seemed to be spending more time on coaches travelling these days. It was another trip to London, and 4th place Leyton Orient, who had harboured their own ambitions of promotion, so a good performance would send a real message to the rest of the league, and that was exactly what he said to the players Once again, he wasn't disappointed, as he watched his strongest side absolutely blow the home side away inside the first half, thanks in the main to a hat trick from (yes, you guessed it!) Chris Greenacre, his second consecutive hat-trick. The striker had opened the barrage early on, collecting the ball with his back to goal, turning his man with ease and flashing a shot across the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner. Moukoko doubled the tally, Greenacre winning a free-kick around 25 yards out and the Belgian flighting a beautiful curling shot into the top corner, leaving no chance for the stranded 'keeper. The game was over ten minutes later, some nice interchange play down the left saw David Jervis whip a cross from the byline into the box, and Greenacre rose between two defenders to power home a well directed header. The striker secured the match ball just after the half hour mark, breaking the offside trap and collecting the pass, before deftly dinking it over the onrushing flash of green, wheeling away before the ball had even crossed the line As was to be expected, they took their foot off the pedal in the second half, and no more goals came, but a nice, easy second half where they kept the ball and toyed with the home side followed, and a quick glance at the table after the match saw their lead at the top stretched to 16 points - nothing significant at this stage, but a nice cushion to have, at least -- November 2001 Results [Divison Three unless stated otherwise] Rushden 3-6 Mansfield [Bradley 7, Lawrence 21, Moukoko 29,39,41,67 ; Darby 24,25,79] Carlisle 1-5 Mansfield [Renner 9, Greenacre 12,28,88, Moukoko 61 ; Foran 73] FA Cup Round One Kingstonian 0-3 Mansfield [Bradley 27, Disley 76, Lazarus 88] Leyton Orient 0-4 Mansfield [Greenacre 4,25,33, Moukoko 15]

He sat in his office after everybody had returned home from training, going through some last minute transfer targets and earmarkinng the ones he felt were viable options. He was just about to leave when his mobile rang - an unknown number "Peter Daish" "..." "Reidy. How are you mate?" He sat back down in his chair, a smile on his face as his old Everton colleague Peter Reid's North East tones drifted through the line "..." "Good. Family OK?" "..." "I appreciate that. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch sooner, you know how it is?" "..." "Sounds good. Well when you have a break for internationals, come down and take in a game and we'll catch up afterwards?" "..." "OK mate. Take care and I'll speak to you soon" .. It had been nice to speak to his former colleague, although he did feel a little guilt about his lack of contact and vowed to be better at speaking to old friends. His mood was a buoyant one, and while his side travelled yet again, heading to London for their FA Cup 1st Round game against Kingstonian, it had rubbed off on the players. It was however, a slightly different set of players, as the Non League opposition had seen him make several changes to the squad. Key players such as Chris Greenacre, Moukoko, Jamie Clarke, Agustin and Liam Lawrence were left behind and given a chance to rest, while fringe players such as Amit Bose, Neil Lazarus, Lee Robinson, Jean-Marc Boco and Vitor Pereira had all been given the chance to play The chairman had hinted that a cup run would be beneficial, and Peter fully expected his side, even while not full strength, to come through the tie unscathed, and 90 minutes or so later, he was not disappointed, the players trying their utmost to push for a regular place. Craig Disley was the outstanding player on display, scoring one and making the other two, and it was his through ball to Shayne Bradley that saw the striker open the scoring, as he faked to shoot and put the 'keeper on his backside, before calmly rounding him and slotting home. It would take a while for the second goal to come, but it wasn't for want of trying, as Bradley, on more than one occasion, Olsen, Lazarus, Warner and Robinson all had chances at the home side's goal, but it was Craig Disley who sealed it, collecting the ball on the left hand side, cutting in past his man and thumping home a drive into the goal. Disley's corner allowed the third goal too, as it sailed over everyone to the back post, where Neil Lazarus stood unmarked, and, surprised how easily the ball came to him, he poked it home for a simple finish

"So, Peter, how's the heart after that?" "Well it was certainly one for the neutrals Steve, can't argue with that. But we got the win and I'm delighted with it" "Moukoko stole the show today, he's some player isn't he?" "He's a joy to work with. He has so much natural ability, and he's a natural leader. He took the game by the scruff of the neck today and decided he needed to win it himself, and he did just that" "Definitely. Too early for promotion talk?" A laugh from the manager "Oh come on Steve, you know better than that. Far too early, all we're focused on is winning as many games as we can" "Can't blame a guy for trying. Well, thanks Peter, we'll let you get on and debrief your team" "Thanks Steve" The local paper had agreed to an interview after each game, and while dealing with the media was never fun, he recognised it was an obligation he needed to fulfil. Mind you, it was always easier when you'd won the game -- "What news Russ?" "Hit and miss gaffer. Rusk wants to see his contract out as Boston have a chance of promotion, so might have to be next season" "Damn. Any other news?" "Well there's a striker in Non League, I think he could be a useful back-up" "Good idea. I don't think Shayne will last until the end of the season. Who's the kid?" "Stuart John Dawe. Plays for Atherstone United. He's a big lad, 6'4, strong, great in the air. Won't cost much" "OK. Get a bid in and lets see what we can do. Anyone else?" "Aye. Halesowen defender, Lee Collins. Again, seems like he wants to wait till the end of the season, but he's worth keeping an eye on" "Collins? Any relation to the other one we chased?" "Don't think so" ... The trip to Carlisle was a fair old journey, but as well as a League game, Russell Beardsmore and Spencer Field were using the game as a scouting mission, as there were three players on their books that looked like they were useful. Liam Lawrence hadn't travelled, his wife had given birth a few days before so he had been granted leave, while Kos wasn't fully fit and was left back in Mansfield and not risked Victor Renner came in for Lawrence, and he took his chance as well as he could, linking up with Moukoko and wriggling free of his marker, before sliding the ball home. It was three minutes later when the lead was doubled, Renner spraying the ball out wide to Jervis, who had bombed forward, and his cross found Greenacre in the box, the striker rising highest and powering a header past the stranded 'keeper. John Hore was one of the Carlisle players on the radar, but he hadn't had chance to show what he could do, due to the way the game was going, while Johnny Allan was on the bench. Greenacre doubled his personal tally just before the half hour, effectively sealing the game, when he took the ball down from Jervis' long ball and lashing a shot across the 'keeper into the bottom corner The second half laboured out a little bit, the home side trying to shut up shop and damage limitation, but as hard as they worked and the effort they put in was to no avail, Moukoko grabbing a goal to make it four. The Belgian had been controlling the game and deserved his goal. It was quickly becoming apparent he was far too good for this level, and he would need a new contract as soon as possible to fend off interest from other clubs. Richie Foran did grab a consolation, a brilliant goal to be fair, as he whipped a left foot shot into the corner, but Greenacre finished the scoring and completed his hat trick just before the full time whistle, collecting a threaded pass from Geir Olsen and calmly slotting the ball home

"Hello" "..." "That's fantastic. Both of them?" "..." "Perfect. They'll be in for training in half an hour so I'll grab them then" He put the phone down and immediately pushed a button on his internal phone "Hello?" "Charlotte, can you send Chris Greenacre and Wouter Kos to my office when they arrive?" "Will do" Less than 20 minutes later, both Greenacre and Kos were sat in front of him "Morning lads. Sorry to drag you in before training" "No worries boss. What's up?" "Well I just wanted to thank you both for signing your new contracts. It shows fantastic commitment and sends a great message to the fans" Greenacre smiled across the desk "Happy to gaffer. Enjoying my football at the moment, all the lads are" "Good. Well off you both go to training, I'll be out in ten" They had both signed four year extensions, but Greenacre had insisted on a release clause of just shy of three million - which, while he didn't want to lose him - that would soften the blow severely -- Rushden were second in the scoring charts, behind only Peter and his side ironically, so it would be too much to ask for a high scoring game - or that's the theory when two high scoring teams meet. Well, nine goals and ninety minutes later, that theory was blown out of the water. 17 shots on target between them, nine of them turning into goals, that's a hell of a ratio Greenacre had tweaked a previous injury in the training session, which meant Bradley came into the side, and yet again the striker delivered, heading home the opener after just seven minutes. He was involved in the move for the second goal too, as he headed down into the path of David Edwards, who fed Liam Lawrence and the midfielder lashed home past Billy Turley. It had looked like a comfortable start, but the home side, and Duane Darby in particular, decided they had better turn up, and two goals in the space of sixty seconds levelled things up, the second a remarkable strike, taking the ball on his chest and volleying home from almost forty yards, having spotted Pilkington off his line It had been a remarkable start, but from that point on, the game was all about one man. Belgian midfielder Moukoko felt he needed to win the game on his own, and he scored the next four goals in the game. The first came just before the half hour, as he marauded forward and stroked the ball home beautifully. Ten minutes later, a sweeping attacking move from a Rushden corner, starting with David Jervis, who swung the ball out to Liam Lawrence, who fizzed a ball across the box to the back post, which Bradley nodded back and Moukoko was there to tap in. It was a brilliant team goal, one which wasn't seen too often at this level. The Belgian completed his hat trick two minutes later, collecting the ball from Edwards and firing low, past Turley and into the corner. The 5-2 half time scoreline had almost put the game beyond doubt, but it definitely was when Moukoko bagged his fourth, a simple finish from Kos' through ball. The scoring wasn't finished, Darby completing his own hat trick eleven minutes from the end, but it made no difference and the game of the season ended in a win for the visitors

Just caught up with this 10-3 Magnificent as always from you, my good sir 👍

"Shayne, come on in son" The striker sheepishly walked in, which surprised Peter. He'd expected him to be a bit more buoyant after his brace "Well played at the weekend. Two goals and man of the match" "Yeah.." "What's wrong son?" "Erm, well, I'm still not happy boss" And there it is "You're playing a lot more, rotating with Chris. You score when you play. What's the matter?" "Well, I was speaking to my agent, and we think it's maybe time for me to sign a new contract?" "OK. Well I appreciate you being honest with me Shayne, but as a rule I don't negotiate until theres at least 12 months left. You've still got more than two years on yours I'm afraid" "But boss..." "Tell you what I'll do. Set up a meeting with Charlotte, bring your agent, and we can discuss it. No promises though" "Yes gaffer" He trudged out despondently. He'd never understood the modern footballers attitude, and Bradley was a strange one to figure out -- The were back to full strength for the visit of Southend, the second of three successive home games to end October, and the game was pretty much sealed inside the first ten minutes, as goals from the on form David Edwards, and a wonderful free-kick from Moukoko saw the two clear. They did carve out several more chances, including hitting the woodwork a remarkable four times, and while they should have had more definitely, it didn't make much difference and they picked up three more points in a game that, while not much of a contest, was pretty much one sided through the duration of the ninety minutes The league table made good reading, his side having picked up 42 of a possible 45 points thus far, sitting ten points clear of second placed Hull - incidentally many peoples favourites for the title - and twelve clear of Rushden. This lead could be stretched even further because they were the next two games his side faced, starting with Hull's visit to Field Mill. Gary Alexander and Lawrie Dudfield had 16 goals between them this season, while their formidable central midfield pairing of Theodore Whitmore and Neale Mann caused problems for any side. Greenacre started up front for Peter's side, while Liam Lawrence was back in the starting line up, along with Vance Warner and Neil Lazarus It was a more physical game than they had previously been involved in, something which suited Hull a lot better than Mansfield, and it was thanks to Kevin Pilkington that they were still level after twenty minutes, the 'keeper pulling off saves from Gary Alexander, who was proving to be an absolute nuisance, and Theodore Whitmore on a couple occasions, while Wouter Kos and Liam Lawrence only really had half chances at the other end. The visitors did finally take the lead just after the half hour, Gary Alexander justifying his performance with the goal he deserved, using his strength to outmuscle Carlos Marques and lash the ball past Pilkington It didn't take too long for Chris Greenacre to level the game, at what was the start of a crazy minute of football. The striker's equaliser was timed at 33:46, and it was 34:29 when the ball was picked back out of the Mansfield net, as a long ball from Ian Ashbee straight from the restart found Lawrie Dudfield, and he controlled it on his chest which took him past the defence and slotted the ball home. There had hardly been time to breathe for the fans, or players for that matter, but it turned into a pulsating game in the second half, the only mystery being how there was only one more goal. Dudfield, Alexander, Mann and Ashbee all forced saves from Pilkington, while Kos, Lawrence, Littlejohn and Greenacre did the same at the other end, Lawrence missing an absolute guilt edged chance five minutes from the end from point blank range. Fortunately he had levelled the game up nine minutes into the second half, collecting the ball from Jervis and jinking his way past three players, before firing the ball across the goal and into the far corner -- October 2001 Results [Division Three unless stated otherwise] Plymouth 0-3 Mansfield [Lawrence 11,pen 17,56] Mansfield 4-0 Torquay [Greenacre 6, Littlejohn 47,53, Edwards 76] Swansea 3-2 Mansfield [Greenacre 3, Edwards 11 ; Casey 19, Williams 27, Cusack 45+1] Mansfield 4-0 Macclesfield [Edwards 12, Bradley 24,70, Pereira 45+2] Mansfield 2-0 Southend [Edwards 3, Moukoko 9] Mansfield 2-2 Hull [Greenacre 34, Lawrence 54 ; Alexander 31, Dudfield 35]

Training in the build up to the game had been good, but Spencer Field's report had urged on the side of caution. Swansea had players that could cause all sorts of trouble, the two that had been picked out were creative midfielder David Romo and man mountain Mamady Sidibe, who had been causing all sorts of trouble for defenders thus far. Their position of 8th in the league did not do justice to their quality on the field, and Peter had urged his players to keep it tight early on. For once, they didn't listen to him, and within 11 minutes they were two up, Jervis crossing for Chris Greenacre to power a header past Roger Freestone, before Kos slid in Edwards, who finished deftly over the onrishing Freestone. Whether it was complacency, the ability of the home side, or a combination of both, he wasn't sure, but two goals in the space of eight minutes from Casey, and then Williams, levelled up the game. The home side took the lead on the stroke of half time, thanks mainly to an absolutely horrendous error from Jamie Clarke, as he misplaced a pass to Karl Owen, which Cusack intercepted and raced through to lash the ball home The second half was a barrage of Mansfield attacks, but despite chance after chance after chance, Freestone and the Swansea goal were impenetrable, with Bradley, Renner, Edwards (twice) and even Carlos Marques all testing the 'keeper. Pushing forward nearly cost them a fourth too, Cusack firing wide at the end of a swift counter attack, but the home side held on and Eddie Evans blew time on the first defeat of the season. Peter found his way through to the opposite dugout, shaking the hand of John Hollins as he got there "Well played John" "Aye you too. Think you'll be up there come the end of the season you keep playing like that" .. His first defeat as Mansfield manager hurt, and he worked the players hard in their next training session, expecting to see a reaction from them. However he may have worked them too hard, as David Jervis, Chris Greenacre and Wouter Kos all picked up knocks, ruling them out of the next game, but there were a couple more tactical changes on top of that, as Warner and Renner came in for Clarke and Lawrence as they welcomed Macclesfield to Field Mill It was a laboured start, both sides seemingly trying to find their feet in the early minutes, and only one chance was fashioned in the opening ten minutes, Lee Glover feeding Rickie Lambert but the striker fired over. It wasn't too long after that the opener came, a lovely interchange down the right hand side freeing Moukoko, and the Belgian pulled it back for David Edwards to run onto it and sweep the ball low and hard into the bottom right hand corner. It was the perfect start, and it got even better twelve minutes later, Edwards clipping the ball through for Renner, who's shot was parried, but only to Shayne Bradley, and he easily knocked the ball into the open goal. The game was effectively sealed on the stroke of half time, as Vitor Pereira scored his first goal for the club, and boy was it worth the wait, a goal of the season contender. Owen had cleared it down the right hand side, and while it looked like it was going out, Edwards kept it in, flicking it into the path on Renner. He played a long crossfield pass to Bradley, who nodded it down into the path of Vitor Pereira, and the Portuguese defender connected with the ball on the bounce, smashing it into the top corner. Bradley scored his second twenty minutes from the end, sealing an emphatic win and bouncing back in the best way possible

The long trip to the South Coast was next, as the team travelled down to Plymouth with a clean bill of health, for the first time in what seemed like weeks. While these coach trips were not pleasant, unfortunately, at this level, flying was out of the question The home side had started well, and sat fifth in the table thanks mainly to the free scoring Ian Stonebridge, and the creative Martin Phillips, but they had conceded more goals than anyone in the top ten, so Peter was sure his side could get at them early. He was proved right, as Agustin fired a beautiful ball over the top, which Moukoko gathered in his stride and fired towards goal, but Romain Larrieu was equal to it. David Edwards found himself free six minutes later, but he dragged his shot wide. The opener did eventually come, in the eleventh minute, Jervis combining with Moukoko down the left, the full back whipping a ball back to the penalty spot and Liam Lawrence meeting it on the half volley and smashing it into the corner. Jervis was causing all sorts of problem down the left, and it was his jinking run into the box that brought about the second goal, a leg coming out and bringing him down in the box. Lawrence stepped up and whipped it into the top corner, doubling his and the teams tally It was a continuous wave of attack, but the Larrieu wall between the Plymouth goal kept them at bay for the remainder of the first half. Greenacre was replaced at half time by Shayne Bradley, while Bobby Hassell replaced Adam Barrett, and it was the substitutes who had a hand in the third goal, Hassell clearing a ball that found Wouter Kos, the little Dutchman sliding through Bradley, who saw his shot parried but straight into the path of Liam Lawrence, and the midfielder slotted into the unguarded goal to seal his hat trick and the points for his side .. An offer had come in for Danny Bacon, Crystal Palace offering £100,000 for the forward, although Peter wasn't sure he was ready for that level, but it didn't matter and the bid was swiftly accepted. Bacon had been plying his trade with the reserves since the bust up, and his performances had not been at the level to even consider bringing him back into the fold, so it was one less problem to deal with. That said, the win at Plymouth had extended the confidence within the players, and they welcomed Torquay for their next league game, looking for a 12th win in succession Moukoko had felt a twinge in training, and it hadn't improved, so he was replaced by Adrian Littlejohn, while Wouter Kos was in need of a rest and Geir Olsen replaced him in the midfield. The visitors had struggled early in the season, but Peter had been keeping a watching brief on a couple of their players, defender Troy Douglin and midfielder Chris Brandon, although both were on the bench for the game. Peter saw his side flying out of the blocks, and within six minutes they were ahead, a lofted ball over the top by Agustin finding Greenacre clean through on the visitors goal, and he continued his red hot form by netting his 11th of the season, sliding into the goal with ease. The rest of the half was fairly serene, a couple of chances falling to Edwards and Vance Warner, but it only took 70 seconds of the restart to double the lead, Littlejohn with a turn of pace that got him away from his man, and he fired the ball into the goal before the 'keeper could move. The Jamaican justified his selection six minutes later, doubling his personal tally, and effectively sealing the points, playing a beautiful little give and go with Karl Owen and breaking through to poke the ball home. A fourth was added on 76 minutes, David Edwards crisp drive deflecting into the roof of the net off Steve Woods and 4-0 didn't flatter them in the slightest -- "We've got to start being realistic, after the start we've had, promotion is a real possibility" Breaking down the weekend on the Monday morning, Peter sat with his coaching staff "We're a quarter of the way through the season..." "Russ is right. We have to prepare for it at least" A heavy sigh "OK, OK. Well as well as the lads are playing, we definitely need strength in depth in certain areas to compete. Mainly in goal and defence" "I agree. Kevin is easily the standout number one but Mike Bingham is only young and not ready for this level just yet" "What about in defence?" "If we get a couple of injuries in key positions we're in trouble" The chatter continued on until the players were seen heading for their warm up through the window "Right, I'm off to training. Spence, can you draw a report on Swansea for me? Russ, I want you take Chris and Shayne off for some shooting drills. Get Victor and Liam too" "Right gaffer"

Oche - Cheers mate. I couldn't have asked for a better start in the league if I'm honest. The City game was unfortunate as we played well , but that's football I suppose! --- The mood around the club was, rightly so, buoyant. The League form was impeccable, having won every game and built up an 8 point lead at the top, and this platform had given them scope to change their plans for the season. The manager had also been praised internally for his handling of the Danny Bacon situation, the board indicating he would be backed unequivocally in those situations, and he had built his own backroom team. It was always a telling sign when the players turned up to training with a smile on their face If there was anything he was concerned about, it was the depth of the squad. The main core of the squad was fine, but if they picked up injuries, particularly going into the final couple of months of the season, it might see a few of the younger players drafted into the squad, but that was a stone he would turn when he needed to "Morning Boss" "Jesus, Spence. You scared the life out of me" "Sorry. You got time to go through this list?" He waved the file in his hand "Yeah course. Take a seat" Both men sat down around the table, as Spencer Field drew sheets out of the file he had brought with him "Right, number one. Simon Rusk, Boston. Been making noises about wanting away but rumour has it he'll sign a new deal with a release clause" "OK. He plays same position as Agustin though? Oh thanks Charlotte love" He flashed a warm smile as his PA popped down a tray of tea and biscuits "He does but we need two options in every position" "True. Next?" "Mark Arber, Barnet. He's a defender I love. Strong, quick, reads the game really well" "Nice. Cost?" "Ah, well that's the thing. Slightly out of our price range at the moment, but he's one to look at for next season" The two men spent the next half an hour discussing more options, before eventually they got down to their own players "Now, what are we doing about Bacon?" "I can't have a player doing that Spence. I've listed him, and it seems like there's early interest. Until then, he's in the reserves" "Fair enough. Everyone else off limits?" "For the right price, I'll consider anything. Although I've got a list of players earmarked for extensions"

Peter hadn't wanted to be so firm, but he needed the players to know he wouldn't be messed about. They had responded well in training, knowing the situation with Danny Bacon, but there were a couple of injury worries, Greenacre tweaking his ankle and a doubt for the final game of the month, while Carlos Marques had a slight thigh issue, but he had no concerns with Shayne Bradley and Vance Warner coming into the team for the game against Halifax Once again, they started well, flying out of the blocks. David Jervis fizzing a shot past the post, Bradley heading the ball over from a corner, and Geir Olsen firing wide from just inside the box, but it was Wouter Kos who opened the scoring, running onto Bradley's flick on and firing into the goal with his right foot. It was a typically Route One goal, but the second, four minutes later, was absolutely superb football, Jervis linking with David Edwards, who flicked the ball round the corner for Moukoko, and his ball with the outside of his foot was exquisite, finding Shayne Bradley who trapped it and slotted home into the goal. The game was never in doubt after that, and while there was only one more goal, Bradley heading home from a Jervis free-kick within a minute of the restart, it was another comfortable day at the office, and made it an astonishing ten wins from ten .. September 2001 Results [Division Three unless stated otherwise] Oxford 0-2 Mansfield [Greenacre 14, Lawrence 59] Mansfield 2-0 Cheltenham [Kos pen 22, Littlejohn 55] Kidderminster 1-5 Mansfield [Kos 3, Lawrence 68,71, Jervis 76, Bradley 79 ; Williams 60] Mansfield 1-0 Scunthorpe [Owen 81] League Cup Round Two Man City 2-2 Mansfield (aet) [Disley 77, Warner 95 ; Huckerby 7,99 - City won 4-2 on pens] Lincoln 0-6 Mansfield [Lawrence pen 15, Greenacre 29,34,41, Moukoko 44,47] Mansfield 3-0 Halifax [Kos 25, Bradley 29,46]

It was a hard defeat to take, simply because of how well his side had played, but it was his job to pick the players up for their next game, a visit to Lincoln in the league. It might have been a tougher task than expected with the players being tired after 120 minutes, but if they were, they didn't show it. They were absolutely rampant through the game, and by the end of it, they had recorded 24 shots on the home side's goal. Liam Lawrence opened the scoring, collecting the ball from David Jervis and jinking into the box. He was clipped just as he was about to shoot, winning the penalty, and he picked himself up, dusted himself off and fired it home himself. The 1 goal advantage had also turned into a 1 man advantage, as the culprit for the foul, 'keeper Alan Marriott, was shown a straight red card, probably a little harshly. From then on, there was only one winner. It was a sea of yellow and blue, wave after wave of attack, and it was just before the half hour mark that the lead was doubled, Greenacre latching on the Karl Owen's pass and deftly lobbing the ball into the goal. The striker doubled his tally five minutes later, rising highest to head home Moukoko's cross, thundering the header into the goal, and his hat trick followed seven minutes later, tapping in with his left foot at the back post to complete the perfect hat-trick The first half scoring was not complete, Moukoko drilling a left foot shot into the bottom corner, and the Belgian scored again two minutes after the restart to compound the misery. 6-0 ahead, with almost an entire half to go, it could easily have been worse, but Peter saw his side take their foot off the gas, as they probably earned the right to do, and aside from a couple of chances from substitutes Bradley and Bacon, the game fizzled out with a comfortable win for Peter and his side -- "You're joking? When?" "..." "Tell him to get to my office as soon as he gets in!" He slammed the phone down, the anger inside him reaching boiling point He had come in that morning in a terrific mood, following the win at the weekend, but it hadn't taken long to see that mood spoilt, as his coach Russell Beardsmore had informed him that Danny Bacon had been in the press over the weekend, not speaking favourably about his manager. He was distracted by the ping on his computer, the email with the article coming through... -- The rage continued to boil, and he had almost calmed down when there was a knock at his door "Come in!" A sheepish looking Bacon popped his head around the door "You wanted me gaffer?" "Don't give me that. You know damn well what I want. Sit down!" The striker sat in the chair his managed indicated "Can you explain this Danny?" The fidgeting began "Well, erm. All it is boss, it's just..." "Come on son, spit it out" "I just don't get why I'm not playing. My contract is up at the end of the season and how can I renew it if I'm not playing games?" Peter sat on the corner of the desk "OK. I get that, but why didn't you come to me. I can't have my players going to the Press over my head and slagging me off" "I didn't..." "Save it lad. Here's what we'll do. Chris is banging goals in for fun at the moment, and I have options to back him up. I don't envisage you playing any time soon, so I'll put you on the transfer list. If we get the right offer, you're free to go" "But gaffer..." "That's my final word. Now off you go to training. I expect 100% commitment before you leave"

He had discovered that Phil Grant, the charming bloke he had first met on his arrival at the club, had been in such a mood because he was expecting to be offered the Manager's role, so he had been narked when it didn't materialise, but having replaced him with new coaches and the backroom team well integrated, it was in the past now "I'm not sure to be honest Russ, I'm torn between going full strength or resting a few" He sat on the corner table with his coach, having had the toughest day of his short tenure so far "Well after today I think full strength is out the window. Chris, Agustin, Bobby and Moukoko all ruled out for the game aren't they? A sigh "Yeah. It has kind of forced my hand a bit. I mean don't get me wrong, would be nice to show everyone what we can do against stronger opposition but we've got to be realistic" "I think you already know what you're going to do don't you boss?" -- His coach had been right, he did know what he was going to do, and when they boarded the Team Bus to Manchester on the Wednesday, he had been scribbling notes and team sheets, but he had a decent idea of the eleven he would field The noise was electric around Maine Road. Manchester City had made a flying start to their League campaign, so they were in a buoyant mood. This showed too, as City made an equally flying start to the game, Darren Huckerby racing through to latch on to an Eyal Berkovic through ball, rounding Pilkington and slotting home into the net. From then on it was an open game, and it was a delight to Peter how his team matched up to their more illustrious opponents. Littlejohn, Bradley, Renner and Disley all missed good chances, while Wanchope, Berkovic and Benarbia missed good chances for the home side. Disley levelled up the game on the 77th minute, flicking the ball home at the near post from Liam Lawrence's corner, which was enough to send the game into extra time. The extra time was more of the same, 30 minutes of end to end football, but both goals came in the opening period. Vance Warner lashed a ball in from 8 yards out after a goalmouth scramble, not the scorer that anyone would have expected, but four minutes later, Huckerby bagged a brace, using his pace and firing into the corner. More chances followed and both 'keepers were tested, although the home side had Nick Weaver to thank for ensuring penalties, as he pulled off a ridiculous double save right at the end, first tipping the ball onto the post from Bradley's header, then saving from Disley from point blank range, and penalties beckoned Peter's side won the toss, electing to go first, and Adrian Littlejohn slotted home the first easily. Wanchope smacked his in straight down the middle to even it up, but then the unfortunate Craig Disley watched as his penalty hit the right hand post, flew across the line and off the other post. Having been their best player on the day, it was a shame he missed, and his misery was added to when Huckerby sent Pilkington the wrong way. Vance Warner made no mistake, levelling the scores with a rocket into the top corner. The home side had the advantage though, and made it three out of three when Kevin Horlock scored, and they were in a great position when Neil Lazarus fired wide. It only needed one of the last two for City, and it came with the very next one, Nick Summerbee firing home and sealing the 4-2 shootout win

"Peter, a word?" Chairman Keith Haslam had seen his manager walking past and commandeered him "Morning Keith. Problem?" A smile crossed the businessman's face "Not at all. Just a quick thankyou. Under budget and started the season well" "I agree but it's early yet. This team is still gelling and learning, sky's the limit. This year though, focused on a respectable finish" He had played it down, both to his chairman and the press, but that didn't stop the local press running an article about possible promotion. But Peter knew that was the way it worked, so he knew it was business as usual, and he made sure that the players knew that, giving them and extra zip in training in the build up to the next game. There was actually a little bit of needle between them and their next opponents, as transfer target David Collins had changed right at the last minute, opting not to join Mansfield in favour of a touch more money Ironically though, Collins was not in the starting line up for the trip to Kidderminster, only taking his place on the bench, while Bradley, Disley and Hassell started in place of Greenacre, Moukoko and Vance Warner. The game got off to an electric start, Disley smacking the post within the first thirty seconds, but it didn't take too much longer to open the scoring, Wouter Kos curling home from the edge of the area. The little Dutch maestro was controlling the game, picking passes, sliding in his team mates, and even though the score at half time was 1-0, it could, and probably should, have been more. Bradley missed a couple of good chances, Kos himself could have scored again and Craig Disley tested the home 'keeper again. The second half was a frenzy, five goals coming in a 19 minute period, but fortunately for Peter, four of them came for his side. The first though, came from Kidderminster, Ducros seeing his shot parried and Williams following up to smash into the roof of the net. Liam Lawrence decided the game was his to win, and he jinked his way through eight minutes later, skipping past his last man and firing into the bottom corner. He put the game almost out of reach three minutes later, meeting a loose ball breaking to the edge of the area and hitting a rocket of a shot into the goal before the 'keeper moved. Two more followed, as David Jervis met a Littlejohn cross at the back post to nod home, and Bradley grabbing his goal eventually, using his pace and strength to get through and finish with aplomb, securing their biggest win of the season -- He always tried to make training sessions fun, but he also knew, especially at this level, that fitness levels were key. The sides that got promoted were usually the fittest, not necessarily the best, but he often wondered why they couldn't combine the two, and that's exactly what he wanted to achieve. He had added a couple more youngsters to the ranks too, as Michael Beckham, a young striker released by Chelsea, and 17 year old midfielder Amit Bose, both talents and earmarked for the future, and they went straight into the reserve squad Contract extensions for some players were proving difficult, with players either wanting higher wages than the club could afford, or ridiculously low minimum fee release clauses, and this was making tying down the best players a chore. Greenacre had an offer on the table, David Jervis had just accepted one, but other than that, the rest were proving difficult The next game ticked off the schedule was a home game against Scunthorpe. It was probably the worst performance of the season, struggling to create, being frustrated by the visitors and their tight, organised midfield, and the only real chance fell to Moukoko, who fired wide from 12 yards. They continued in the same vein in the second half, the lack of clear cut chances a slight worry, but it took a defender to break the deadlock and seal the game, Karl Owen taking a chance and staying forward from a corner, the ball finding its way to him, and he took a touch before rolling it into the bottom corner