The club is pleased to confirm that our first team will face a Maltese Select XI on Thursday 06 July, kicking-off at 7.45pm local time.
The match will take place at the training ground of the Ta' Qali National Stadium, Malta, and supporters flying out to join us can watch the match FREE of charge.
During past months, the club has worked relentlessly to confirm a first team pre-season friendly in Malta.
Unfortunately, to the club’s disappointment, a total of five clubs had reneged on previously arranged friendlies. Consequently, the club was not previously in a position to communicate details of a friendly match to our supporters.
The club always acts in the best interests of our supporters and we hope their time in Malta will be thoroughly enjoyable as we now all look forward to watching our exciting new-look squad for the first time.
The set of circumstances which had previously prevented the club in our endeavours to arrange a friendly match in Malta were unprecedented and our supporters should be aware that the club has worked unceasingly to overcome a number of unforeseen roadblocks to arrange a first team friendly fixture.
It has been an exhaustive and frustrating process, but we are pleased to now be in a position to have arranged a first team friendly and communicate it to our supporters.
The chairman, chief executive, board of directors, management and players are hugely grateful to supporters who have paid their hard-earned money to come and support the club in Malta. As such, it has been our absolute priority in past months to arrange a first team friendly as part of the one-week trip.
The club always acts in the best interests of our supporters and we hope their time in Malta will be thoroughly enjoyable as we now all look forward to watching our exciting new-look squad for the first time.
Manager Steve Evans said: “We’re looking forward to the return of the players in the middle of next week.
“They will be in work for strength and fitness testing for two to three days before we depart for Malta.
“The plan is to start our pre-season [in Malta] which will include some football as well as giving our supporters who are flying out the opportunity to see the players train. We will have more specific details next week when the players return.”
Meanwhile, the manager provided fans with an update on potential new signings in his attempts to complete his impressive new squad.
“Since having a short break, I have been very busy trying to conclude our squad and am very close to adding to the group in one or two key areas.
“Negotiations will continue and are finely balanced, but are not concluded anywhere near [the stage] for me to give any further detail.”
Meanwhile, our U21s team, which will include a selection of youth team players, will take on St Andrews' first team at Triq Dun Guzepp Farrugia, PBK 1740, Pembroke, Malta, on Wednesday 05 July. The match will kick-off at 7.45pm local time.
St Andrews finished in 8th position last season in the Maltese Premier League and boast a famous national reputation of developing home-grown players.
We will fly out to Malta on Monday 03 July and return to the UK on Monday 10 July.
The club will be provide any additional information in due course via www.mansfieldtown.net and our official social media channels and will keep supporters abreast of its schedule once finer details have been confirmed.
