Announcement: COVERAGE COMES TO A SAD END!

To our faithful listeners,

It is with the deepest sadness that we have to inform you that our Mansfield Matters Show, broadcast online and on Takeover 106.9FM is to come to an following tomorrow night’s pre-season friendly with Gainsborough Trinity and will therefore sadly not be returning for the 2013/14 season.

It is common knowledge that clubs in the Football League own exclusive rights to online commentary whilst to broadcast even updates only on FM requires a license which neither we nor Takeover can afford. We had hoped to continue on behalf of Stags Player, after providing full commentary throughout pre-season, however for whatever reason that has not materialised and therefore we are no longer in a position to continue with our live show.

Since the re-launch of Takeover in February 2011, Mansfield Matters has grown from a small audience show to a popular online brand for this we cannot thank you enough. We began with little equipment or idea on how to deliver a successful radio show and website and now proudly yet sadly walk away having covered over 170 matches up and down the country including pre-season friendlies when overs said it was impossible. We have witnessed some of the worst moments in the club’s history along with those beautiful moments such as winning promotion back to the Football League – all of which were for you, those unable to get to the game were unable to know the outcome. Mansfield Matters has never been about arrogance and self-promotion and has been and will always be for the fans by the fans.

On a personal level with Mansfield Coverage not an option we have reached a decision to continue running this website with features including Match Previews, Match Stats and Opinion Blogs however being unable to provide commentary on Stags games has opened up opportunity elsewhere – opportunity which after serious consideration and if truth be told a few tears, has been taken. It is for this reason that the Match Report blogs will take on a shorter and more brief form as more often than not we will be watching/providing coverage on another team, if you would like to write Match Report Blogs then as always feel free to email us on mtfcmatters@gmail.com.

 The decision to move on and commentate on another team has been the toughest we have ever faced, we sincerely hope that you will respect the choices being made and continue to view this website for its written and statistical content. Whilst it may have been an option to just go and sit in the stands watching our beloved side play we feel we could not have done that without glancing across to the press box and saying ‘what if’. We enjoy everything we do in running this website and commentating on football which is why we thought it best to take the opportunity that has recently come our way – details are still being finalised which is why we will not be revealing the club or radio station we have been signed to.

To reiterate there will be no commentary or updates on Stags matches either online or 106.9FM however the website will remain active with various written content. We would like to express our thanks to each and every one of you for sticking with us through thick and thin – we cannot wait to see how Stags fare in League Two and remain hopeful of more success in the future. We would also like to put on record our thanks to the club for their help since 2011, also to the numerous faces that have been part of the Mansfield Matters live team.

Enjoy the ride folks, we will miss you!

Craig Priest (Creator and Presenter of Mansfield Matters) and Emily Sykes (Website Administrator and Social Media Manager)