Review of 2023 – a fine year for record-breaking Mansfield Town

The 2022/23 season ended in agony as Nigel Clough's men missed out on a place in the play-offs by a single goal scored on the final day of the campaign.

But they set off like an express train for the 2023/24 season – breaking the club record for the number of games unbeaten from the start of a league season – and although the future remains unwritten, fans will expect their side to stay firmly in the hunt for a top three automatic promotion spot this time rather than just the lottery of the play-offs.

Clough has methodically built a powerful squad of experienced pros since his arrival and that squad now looks to be the strongest the club has had for years, despite terrible luck on injuries.

Stags kicked off the New Year in sixth place, five points adrift of third place, with seven players missing with injury and illness.

Danny Johnson returned from his successful loan at Walsall but was rarely used before leaving in the summer.

The year began badly with a 2-1 loss at Walsall on New Year's Day and Anthony Hartigan's dislocated shoulder adding him to the missing list too.

Then a 2-0 home lead over Barrow turned into a 3-2 defeat and a red card for George Maris saw Stags held at home by Walsall.

Oli Hawkins and George Lapslie departed for Gillingham and Kelland Gordon for Crawley with defenders Callum Johnson and Alfie Kilgour and midfielders Louis Reed and Davis Keillor-Dunn coming in – Reed injured just 10 minutes into his second game!

A goal after only 24 seconds against Doncaster kick-started the year as Stags won four and drew one of the next five before a 5-2 home spanking from classy Salford.

There was also mourning off the field as club legend Kevin Bird passed away at the age of 70, having made over 450 appearances in the Amber & Blue between 1972 and 1983.

March saw them take six out of 15 possible points.

But four wins and two draws in the first six games of April saw Mansfield close back in on the play-offs with a game in hand.

However, a home 2-1 defeat that clinched the title for 10-man Leyton Orient proved damaging and Elliott Hewitt suffered a serious knee injury that still has him sidelined.

Then came a disastrous 2-1 home loss to bogey side Harrogate Town that left Stags going into their final game at Colchester three points adrift of Salford with a worse goal difference and play-off ambitions lingering by a slender thread.

Stags did their bit and duly won 2-0 – and Salford lost – but the results left Clough's men missing out on the play-offs by a single goal scored. It did at least set a new club record of 12 away wins in a Football League season.

Danny Johnson, Kieran Wallace, Jason Law, James Perch and Jimmy Knowles departed in the summer while in came Calum Macdonald, Baily Cargill, George Williams, Aaron Lewis and Aden Flint.

Previous season loanees Will Swan and Christy Pym both signed full-time for undisclosed fees too, though there was no return for Riley Harbottle.

The season began in promising fashion as Stags went 2-0 up in their opener at Crewe.

But Macdonald was sent off on his debut and Crewe hit back for a draw.

A couple of wins followed before disaster struck at Doncaster, where Stags twice came from behind to draw.

But they lost defensive lynchpin Alfie Kilgour to a freak accident, suffering a ruptured Achilles with no one near him, which abruptly ended his season.

Early season injuries quickly began to stack up and Stags had nine players out by August Bank Holiday when they snatched a late 3-2 win over Stockport County as Davis Keillor-Dunn completed a brace in a superb second half showing from the home side.

August ended with Stags reaching round three of the Carabao Cup after a penalties victory at Championship giants Sheffield Wednesday.

By now ex-Owl and man-mountain Flint was looking a shrewd acquisition as he more than filled the void left by Kilgour.

Although September opened with a frustrating 0-0 home draw with Bradford City with Mansfield fielding their only 10 fit outfield players, it did leave Stags as the only unbeaten EFL side in all competitions.

A fantastic 3-0 win at bogey side Accrington Stanley followed with Aaron Lewis netting a 40 yard volley – a first win over them in 15 attempts. But a poor display at Colchester saw Keillor-Dunn rescue a 1-1 draw in the final minute.

Stags also beat visiting Peterborough United on penalties to advance to the fourth round of the League Cup for the first time since 1975 and only the second time in the club’s history.

And the prolific Keillor-Dunn again rescued a 1-1 draw after Stags went behind after only two minutes at Gillingham following a Brunt error.

October began with Stags held 0-0 at home by Wrexham, despite having completely dominated the Welsh ‘Hollywood’ club. Another home 0-0 followed with AFC Wimbledon in which Christy Pym had to save a penalty.

But the highlight of the season so far was a comprehensive 4-1 away local derby win at Notts County as 3,880 away fans saw Stags fight back in style from going behind after three minutes.

Incredibly Stags won 4-1 away in the next game too. And it was at another bogey side, Harrogate Town – a first ever win over them at the eigth attempt.

However, Halloween saw the Stags' first defeat of the season as Port Vale knocked them out the Carabao Cup by a single goal and a few days later Wrexham also came to the One Call for a televised Saturday night FA Cup tie and won 2-1.

A third defeat in a row saw visiting Everton U21s win in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy. But the league was always the priority and Mansfield hit back to win 2-1 for a first ever victory at Salford City to get back on track four days later.

A 2-1 loss at Burton Albion, after leading in a game they needed to win outright or on penalties, ended their hopes of progress in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy and left them out of all cup competitions.

But another Keillor-Dunn brace pushed Stags into second place in League Two with a 2-0 win over Newport, Rhys Oates also missing a penalty as they made it five league wins in a row.

Mansfield’s 17 league games unbeaten to start the campaign, comprising nine wins and eight draws, was a new club record for the longest unbeaten start to a league season.

Including last season, Mansfield had gone 18 league games unbeaten, the second best run in the club’s history and two short of the club record of 20, set in 1976, and they had also gone 14 away league games unbeaten, one short of the club record of 15, set in 2018-19.

But it all came to a heartbreaking end at Swindon Town on 25th November as the Robins edged it 2-1 with a 93rd minute winner.

Mansfield ended November having to twice come from behind to draw 2-2 with visiting Tranmere Rovers.

Being out the FA Cup ensured a free Saturday and much-needed breather for Clough’s squad as we entered December.

But heavy rain the following weekend then wiped out the scheduled home clash with MK Dons andsuddenly Stags faced being rusty after an unexpected 17-day lay-off.

However, they needn’t have worried as they hit the ground running on their return with back-to-back away wins, firstly winning 2-1 at Crawley Town and then ending another poor record against a ‘bogey team’ with a first ever win against Sutton Town by a 2-0 margin.

That meant Stags had ended 2023 with only three away defeats in the calendar year – a remarkable achievement.

A 2-0 home win over Grimsby Town cheered a big Boxing Day crowd, but hopes of a fourth win in a row were thwarted as Doncaster Rovers earned a 1-1 draw at the One Call to end the year.

So Mansfield headed into 2024 in good shape and firmly among the automatic promotion contenders, having already broken a club record and seen off three bogey sides in a fine first half of the season.