Promotion? We want it so much that it hurts…
TOM FARMERY
The most popular chant from the stands at Field Mill boasts that, despite not caring or knowing how they’re doing it, Mansfield are on their way to League One. It is slightly ironic, then, that millions have been pumped into the club over the last few years, yet relatively little progress has been made. For the last three seasons, Mansfield have had a top-three budget but finished no higher than eighth. It has been a major disappointment for the supporters, but not many feel it as much as CeO Carolyn Radford and her husband John, the Mansfield owner. ‘It’s difficult and it does get to us,’ Carolyn says. ‘Often we’ll think, “What are we doing? Why are we doing this?” And particularly at the end of last season, I thought, “I can’t put myself through it again”. I’m so passionate about it that it hurts.’ Their desperation for success comes at a premium. John Radford’s company, One Call Insurance, has regularly topped up the turnover and sponsored the stadium to help Mansfield comply with financial fair play rules. Clubs in League Two are not allowed to spend more than 50 per cent of their turnover on wages. Mansfield spend about £2.5million on wages each year — averaging £48,000 a week. ‘You’ve just got to put the investment in or else you’re not going to get the results,’ says Carolyn (right). Tyler Walker, on loan from Nottingham Forest, is paid £5,000 a week and has appearance and goal bonuses written into his contract. For the sake of promotion, it is a price worth paying. Walker is the club’s top scorer with 17 goals — second in the division to Tranmere’s James Norwood, who has 22. Walker’s strike in the 69th minute against Forest Green was the breakthrough Mansfield deserved and left them in the third and final automatic promotion place, four points off leaders Lincoln. Unfortunately, Walker’s actions in stoppage time mean he will miss the next two games after he was shown a red card for dissent. They can just about get by without him. Money spoke again when Jorge Grant’s loan at Luton of League One ended in January, only for Mansfield to step in to pay the Forest player’s wages until the end of the season. Then there is Jacob Mellis, formerly of Chelsea, who controlled the midfield on Saturday. There is a view that the Radfords’ approach isn’t sustainable, with home attendances rarely hitting 6,000. ‘The dream would be that the football club makes enough money to cover its own back and where we as custodians don’t have to be as investmentheavy,’ Carolyn says. ‘But unless you’re in the Premier League, with massive TV deals, then it’s difficult. ‘It will all be worth it if we get promoted. I remember when we came up from the Conference in 2013. ‘It was amazing to see what it meant to the fans. If we did it again I’d cry. Definitely.’