Speaking in the Mansfield CHAD newspaper this week, Peter Shirtliff said "This season has still got a long way to go, you never know in football, anything can happen and we haven't given up nothing yet"
"There are points available and it's there for us, you can't write off the play offs when there is only a five point gap. It is a tall order with only 6 games left but we will go for it"
"We have nothing to lose and we have a reasonably fit squad in terms of numbers right now, it's there so let's give it a go"
"We have some decent games left against teams above us, like Lincoln on Saturday, Cheltenham, Leyton Orient and Carlisle United"
"Putting in good performances against those will still be a benchmark for next season, whatever happens"
The Stags remaining 6 games are :
Sat 8 Apr Lincoln A
Sat 15 Apr Leyton O H
Mon 17 Apr Barnet A
Sat 22 Apr Carlisle H
Sat 29 Bury A
Sat 6 May Cheltenham H
Meanwhile Peterborough, who currently occupy the 7th place spot in League 2, seem to have a easier run in. They have trips to Bury, Rochdale and Leyton Orient, and home games with Boston, Macclesfield and Wycombe.
Lincoln, the Stags opponents on Saturday have trips to Wycome and Shrewsbury, whilst facing the Stags, Bury, Leyton Orient and Rochdale at Sincil Bank.
Whilst it seems almost impossible, a win for the Stags at Lincoln on Saturday, and a bad result for Peterborough, will get everyone dreaming of what just might be come eary May.
On the the flip side, defeat at Sincil Bank will end all slim play off hopes.
The Stags are expected to take around 1000-1500 supporters on Saturday, if the past two seasons followings are anything to go by. Last season 1264 turned out, whilst the season before, when the Stags did actually make the play offs, 1735 made the all ticket journey.
One thing we can be certain, the following should be more than the 843 that County mustered up not so long ago to Sincil Bank.