Midfielder Jamie McGuire wants the Stags to repay the backing of Mansfield Town supporters with positive performances in the 2016-17 campaign.
The 32-year-old put pen-to-paper on a new deal last week to extend his stay at the club as he prepares to enter his fourth season with the Stags.
And the Birkenhead-born man has reflected on how he has changed on a personal level since joining the Nottinghamshire outfit and has expressed his optimism for the future.
“I think I’ve got better each season. I’m a lot calmer person now, I bring a different kind of role to the team that the gaffer wanted me to do. Hopefully I can do that next year and bring a lot more quality to the team.
“When Mansfield as a whole town gets behind us, there’s nothing better than playing here and doing well for this club. Hopefully we can repay it by doing well for Mansfield in the new season.”
Looking back on the previous campaign, former Tranmere Rovers trainee McGuire believes he knows where the Stags went wrong in their chase for a place in the top seven.
“We were [in the] top eight for most of the season – what 'killed' us a little bit was the little blip in March but that’s just ‘one of them’; that’s football. It’s been a good season for us in terms of the club as a whole and the squad as a whole.”
Explaining the off-the-pitch attributes which he believes he brings to the squad, McGuire says he always tries to keep spirits high in the squad - which often involves playing pranks on his team-mates.
“I’m a character. I’m vibrant, I love causing mayhem and doing my little tricks. Ryan (Tafazolli), everyone thinks he’s a good looking man – I ended up putting deep heat in his boxers! He put them on after the shower and I could see his face burning up. He took it well, he knew it was me!
“When you have your ups, you’ve got to be up there. When you’re down, you’ve got to keep it level-headed and keep everyone on the same path. When we go to a matchday, everybody’s head has got to be right. We’ll be due back in soon ready to ‘kick on’ for the new season.”
Supporters can view Jamie McGuire's news conference on Stags Player HD.
