Another side that we’ve not played much down the years provide the first visiting team to come to Cardiff City Stadium for a league game in ages. The game with Arsenal under 21s provided a respite to a continuous run of away matches, but the best thing about that match was that what was nowhere near a first eleven performed so well..
That Arsenal match was our only one at home in a run of six games since we beat Reading at Cardiff City Stadium on 18 October and now we have the first of a run of seven out of nine at home on Saturday!
Mansfield are living up to what they were billed as before a ball was kicked – a “streaky” side equally capable of going on winning and losing runs, hence a felling that they don’t have what it takes to be a top six team, but they’re roo good to go down.
Already this season Mansfield have had separate runs in the league of three consecutive victories and five matches without defeat, but, currently they’re on a run of two straight losses (three if you include an EFL Trophy loss at Huddersfield), but as a side that has already beaten the other two relegated sides, Luton and Plymouth, 2-0 , City should be aware that they have it in them to beat anyone in the division on their day.
Here’s seven questions on Mansfield down the years with the answers to be posted on here on Sunday.
60s. This forward started with a bang by scoring both goals in a 2-1 win on his Mansfield debut as a teenager and averaged more than a goal every other game for them over the next four years. Bigger clubs were bound to be alerted by such a scoring record, but although he fetched a record fee for the Stags when he left, it wasn’t to play in the top two divisions. His goalscoring record for his second, and final, club was not quite as impressive, but it was still good enough for him to be voted that team’s greatest ever player in 2004 and the supporters of both of hjis clubs voted him their favourite ever player three years later – who am I describing?
70s. Another suspected victim of dementia caused by frequent heading of the ball during his long career. Having being released by Doncaster as a teenager, he was another who only played senior football for two clubs and as he only played once for his second club, Mansfield’s most recent opponent, I make it that something like 99.75 per cent of his league appearances were for Mansfield. He scored on his final appearance for Mansfield and managed to net an impressive 63 for them during his time there – can you name him?
80s. Whine at mortal from the east initially (4,8)
90s. It was a sign of where this forward and City were at that we signed him after he’d been let go by Mansfield after only making two substitute appearances for them in what is now League One. At the time he came here, he’d not scored a goal for his previous three clubs over a period of two tears and he didn’t end that lean spell with us, who is he?
00s. Increase kowtowing perhaps?
10s. Michael Caine and Jude Law character meets non muggel!
20s. Which member of Mansfield’s current squad has served a six game ban for violent conduct this year?
Answers
60s. Ken Wagstaffe was on the end of some fearful beatings when Hull visited Cardiff in the late 60s and early 70s, but he also scored four time in a 4-2 win for the Tigers at Ninian Park in in October 1966. That was some two years after he’d signed for Hull from Mansfield.
70s. Kebin Bird played 450 league games for Mansfield and one for Huddersfield during a twelve year career which saw him feature almost exclusively as a centreback.
80s. Neil Whatmore.
90s. John Pearson was good enough to hold down a place at sides like Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Leeds, but, by the time he arrived at City in 94/95, his best days were long behind him and, after failing to score in a dozen league appearances, we proved to be his final Football League club.
00s.Neil Moore.
10s. Alfie Potter – Michael Caine and Jude Law have both played the title character in films called Alfie and Harry Potter was definitely not a Muggel (a non wizard, born into a family of non wizards) in the books and films named after him.
20s. Goalkeeper Liam Roberts was banned for six games after a challenge which left Crystal Palace forward Jean-Phillipe Marteta needing oxygen treatment during an FA Cup tie with Roberts’ previous club, Millwall.
