Left-back Stephen McLaughlin says he is looking forward to ‘a great atmosphere’ at One Call Stadium on Saturday as Stags prepare to lock horns with Grimsby Town in Sky Bet League Two.
As of midday Tuesday 13 December, a total of 6,500 tickets have been sold – including season ticket holders and 1,200 from the Mariners.
Stags will be buoyed heading into the encounter following two good results – a last-gasp win against Colchester and a fine point at high-riding Stevenage.
Speaking to iFollow Stags this morning, McLaughlin said: “I can’t wait, the more fans the better. It’ll be a great atmosphere. As you’ve seen this season, they’ll [Grimsby fans] not out-sing our fans and that’s one thing for sure.
“It’s going to be a good game. I think it’ll be tough but we’re looking forward to it.”
“To score in the last minute of the game [against Colchester] at home and to go to second in the league [Stevenage] and pick up a point it’s good and it starts a good run.
Mansfield are in fifth position in Sky Bet League Two having played 21 games so far this season. Assessing the campaign up until this point, he said: “It’s been okay. Obviously you want to be at the top but things happen during the season, players get injured, some results don’t go your way, but overall we’re quite happy at the minute.
“For me [personally], I could be better, should be better but at the end of the season we will look at it again.
“It’s been a stop-start season for me in the last couple of months but I’m getting back to where I want to be and I’m fit and ready for the Christmas period.”
The Stags are set for a busy Christmas schedule as they prepare for four games between now and New Year’s Day and the 32-year-old said: “You [have to] take it game by game, obviously starting with Grimsby on Saturday.
“There are two home games coming up and we want to take maximum points. It’s just about trying to put that run together.”
