Barker on Move

Speaking to the Nottingham Evening Post, and after he had visited Field Mill to see the Stags draw 1-1 with Shrewsbury, ex terrace favourite Richie Barker has opened old wounds with a timely statement hinting that the decision to sell him was in the end down to Billy Dearden, and not the sole decision of owner Keith Haslam, as some supporters were thinking.

"Ultimately, the decision was down to him. I asked him to stay and if he'd wanted to do so, he could have done."

"I'm not naive enough to think that everyone was devastated when I left Mansfield, but I do know there were fans who were worried about how the team would do.

"But every player can be replaced - and that has been proved in this instance with how Barry Conlon and Martin Gritton have done.

We at StagsMAD are not entirely sure why Barker feels the need to make comments like this, as far as we are concerned the issue should now be put to bed. We have the replacements, Billy has proved he has an eye for a good player, and we can't understand why Barker would now choose to shout his mouth off, saying it was Billy's final say, when quite clearly the deal was as good as done before Billy got back here.