Louis Reed so happy to be back working with manager Nigel Clough again at Mansfield

“It has been a really enjoyable start to the season,” he said.

“The team are playing some good stuff at the minute and it's really enjoyable to be a part of.

“We have a lot of confidence at the minute, playing out from the back. We do that really well. Then we can mix it up as well when we have to go a bit longer.

“I think the balance that we've found at the start of the season has been really good.

“The manager's input is huge. He wants us to go forward at every opportunity and be on the front foot, so far we have done that and we have set a standard. Now we have to maintain that. The way the team has gelled I think things can only get better too.”

He added: “You won't get many better front threes in this division with Davis in behind them – he has had a great start to the season.

“We are well organised and Flinty coming in at the back has added that bit of experience. He has been brilliant and we look solid all the way through.”

Reed is operating at the base of a diamond and said: “I like getting on the ball a lot more than I do trying to win it back.

“Teams are most vulnerable when they have just given the ball away and have players out of position. We try to hurt them as soon as possible.”

On Clough, Reed said: “He is very demanding. He rewards you when you've done well but he will let you know if you are not dong what you should be doing. For me that's how it should be and the rest of the lads enjoy that as well.

“He doesn't beat around the bush and that can only help us demand more from each other. It is good going forward.

“I enjoyed working under him at Sheffield United – and Andy Garner and Gary Crosby – they are up there as well. Familiar faces are always nice.

“No game is perfect and there are always things you can work on. But we have done the basics right so far so I don't think we should be changing too much.”