mansfield manager Nigel Clough says the tie with Arsenal at the OneCall Stadium on Saturday is “pretty special, ” as Mansfield Town reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 1974/75; the club’s run included wins over Sheffield United and Burnley and crucial earlier rounds that tested the squad. Updated 09: 00 ET.
Mansfield Manager Nigel Clough: Reaction
Nigel Clough, 59, framed the tie as the reward for a run built on grit and pivotal moments. “When you see the tie on paper, it looks pretty special, ” he said, highlighting the significance for supporters who have not witnessed Mansfield in this round for a generation. Clough recounted a decisive second-round night away at Accrington when the team were on the brink in extra time: “We were down and out in extra time, playing in some of the worst conditions you’ve ever seen. We were done. ” He credited a loan player for turning the tie: “A young lad called Kyle McAdam, who was on loan from Forest at the time, popped up with a goal and it was one of the most important goals of the season. “
Key facts first
Mansfield Town reached the FA Cup fifth round after overcoming Championship Sheffield United and Premier League Burnley in successive rounds; the Burnley victory was a 2-1 comeback that booked this stage for the first time since the 1974/75 season, when Mansfield — then a Fourth Division side — lost 1-0 to Carlisle United on February 15, 1975. Clough noted the emotional payoff: “To see people’s faces after the Burnley game — we took about 3, 500 there and would’ve taken more if it had been allowed — and what it meant to them was worth everything. ” He stressed the generational impact: supporters under 60 have never seen Mansfield in an FA Cup fifth round.
Immediate reactions and personal notes
Clough also offered a personal footnote linking past and present: the opponent, Arsenal, were the last FA Cup side his father faced before retiring in 1993. “That’s just a nice bit of trivia, ” he said with a smile. “I had no idea!” He declined to let sentiment alter preparations, framing the tie as a competitive test rather than a family echo.
Quick context
The run began with a narrow 3-2 home win over Harrogate in the first round and included a tense shoot-out progression after Accrington; Clough described those matches as the moments that make a lower-league cup run possible. The reward for negotiating those hurdles is a home clash with the Premier League leaders, Arsenal.
What’s next
Focus now shifts to the OneCall Stadium on Saturday, where Mansfield will prepare tactically and mentally for a step up in opposition. The mansfield manager insists the squad will treat this as another game to be won, with the club and its supporters aware of the rare chance before them. Updates and the immediate fallout from the match will clarify how far this Cup run can go; current information is accurate as of 09: 00 ET.
