Mansfield running out of players

[returnofthereds]

Mansfield boss Billy Dearden insists that not even Premiership champions Chelsea could cope with the injury crisis which has swept through Field Mill in the past month.

Johnny Mullins picked up a knee injury in the 2-1 defeat to Rochdale on Saturday to leave Dearden without any of his regular back four and he admits he is finding it hard to cope ahead of the trip to Swindon.

He told the Chad: "I have never seen an injury list like this. The side I send out at Swindon will be the best 11 we have. I don't know of any Premiership club that could cope with what we are trying to cope with just now.

"I have 13 fit players, including two keepers. It is very difficult to keep smiling but that is what I am trying to do - keep a smile on our faces and keep the players up for it.

"It is a very big game at Swindon on Saturday and we have to go there and try to spoil the party, though we know it is going to be very difficult.

"We did beat them at our end but we didn't have all these injuries then. I can't do a lot in training this week as if anyone turned an ankle or something we wouldn't know where to turn."

[Rich Pullen]

These sort of reports always worry me - We'll either stuff them or they'll grind out a win (it always appears to be the latter)

I hope the STFC staff and players don't read much into it.

[ronnie21]

Mind Games?

[Rich Pullen]

Mind Games?

That's what I always think when these articles are released.

[BB12]

What's he bleating about, they're safe and they've nothing to play for. They can afford to come here and get beat 5-0 and it wouldn't matter a toss to them.

[ron dodgers]

they aint safe - Boston can catch them

[BB12]

they aint safe - Boston can catch them

I'll bet you a bag of Pork Scratchings that they don't though.