New assistant manager Lee Glover says that the Stags’ ambition and the opportunity to work alongside Mansfield boss John Dempster were the key reasons for him joining the amber and blue.
It was announced on Tuesday evening that the former Nottingham Forest striker had left his post as opposition analyst at League One outfit Doncaster Rovers to join John Dempster’s backroom staff.
Glover says that the opportunity to become the Stags’ assistant manager was ‘too good to pass up.’
“It was a very difficult decision [to leave Doncaster Rovers],” he began. “Grant [McCann, Doncaster Rovers’ manager] has brought me in at a couple of clubs and is also a friend.
“I just thought it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I had a couple of opportunities during last season which I didn’t think were right, and I was happy with what I was doing at Doncaster.
“But this one with John [Dempster] and the ambition of the club, I thought it was the right time to give it a go.
“I’ve been down and watched a few games here, and there’s a real positive vibe. The ambition is there from the chairman down, and you can see the club is on a good foot and wants to go forward.
“You don’t get many opportunities at clubs like that, so it’s very exciting.”
"With John [Dempster] and the ambition of the club, I thought it was the right time to give it a go."
The 49-year-old added that he will also assist the Mansfield boss in identifying transfer targets ahead of what is shaping up to be an exciting summer at One Call Stadium.
“I’m very pleased to get the offer from the club and from John [Dempster],” said Glover. “Looking at the facilities and meeting people here, there is a very positive vibe around the building.
“It’s something I want to be part of and try and help. John is the manager, so he’s obviously got the [final] say, but he’ll lean on me with my experience and contacts in the game and we’ll get our heads together.
“We’ll put a shift in and make sure that when the team comes out on the pitch, we’ve done the best we can to make sure they’ve got a good chance of winning.
“I saw two or three games here last season, so I know most of the players from a distance.
“We know what the squad is about and where we might need to look to strengthen. You put [transfer] options to the manager, and the manager chooses.”
Glover also reflected on his background in football – both as a player and in coaching roles – and says that he will utilise his experience to assist the new Stags’ boss.
“I’ve played in all four professional leagues, starting with Nottingham Forest in 1986. I stopped playing in 2002, and coaching-wise, I had managerial spells at Corby [Town] and Grantham [Town].
“Then I went to Derby and worked my way right through the academy there with Nigel Clough, getting to be the under-23s’ senior coach.
“Then Steven McClaren came in and he moved me closer to the first team. I moved on from there, going to Burton for a spell, then Coventry and then Grant McCann took me in as assistant manager at Peterborough.
“After being there, he took me on at Doncaster [too]. I’ve been round and have experience that I can hopefully help John [Dempster] with.”
iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the new assistant manager’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow.
