Swindon are looking for their first win at the Energy Check County Ground since August as David Flitcroft returns to SN1 with his new employers, Mansfield Town.
Town have not caught the rub of the green so far in October – bar a 3-0 beating of Plymouth, Town have not picked up maximum points against Crewe, Northampton and Exeter City, losing to the Alex and the Grecians away from home.
Brown’s men have struggled for goals but have only failed to score once at home all season – Kaiyne Woolery could make his home return after four months out of action. He has played a part off the bench in the last two games away from SN1 and scored within 20 minutes in the Checkatrade Trophy tie with Plymouth.
The Oppo
Mansfield sit a point below Town; however, they have two games in hand after postponements for international call-ups.
The Stags have only lost one game this season but have picked up a hefty seven draws – second only to Forest Green with eight. Their one and only loss came away at Exeter back in September where Town fell by two goals last week.
Tyler Walker is Mansfield’s top goalscorer with six goals so far after joining from Nottingham Forest in the summer.
Head-to-head
Town did the double of Mansfield last season – Matt Taylor was on target the last time out at the County Ground, driving in past Conrad Logan in the Mansfield goal back in February.
And earlier in the season it had been happy travelling for, what was then, Flitcroft’s team as they raced into a 3-0 lead with goals from Amine Linganzi, John Goddard and Luke Norris before Danny Rose scored a late consolation for the Stags.
6 Oct 2002 Swindon Town v Mansfield Town W 2-1 League Division 2
15 Mar 2003 Mansfield Town v Swindon Town L 2-1 League Division 2
05 Dec 2006 Mansfield Town v Swindon Town L 2-0 League Two
21 Apr 2007 Swindon Town v Mansfield Town W 2-0 League Two
14 Oct 2017 Mansfield Town v Swindon Town W 1-3 League Two
10 Feb 2018 Swindon Town v Mansfield Town W 1-0 League Two
The Gaffer
League Two promotion winner David Flitcroft was appointed Mansfield Town manager in March 2018 after the departure of Steve Evans.
The 44-year-old departed Wiltshire to take up the position as Stags boss after Swindon and Mansfield agreed a compensation package.
After a 19-year playing career which included long stints with Chester City, Rochdale and Bury, Flitcroft made the step into coaching by accepting a position with Keith Hill's Rochdale.
Prior to the start of the 2011/12 season, Flitcroft joined Hill as he departed for Championship side Barnsley, becoming assistant manager at Oakwell.
The following season, after Hill departed, Flitcroft was handed the reins on a permanent basis and led the Tykes to Championship safety on the final day of the 2012/13 campaign.
After leaving Oakwell in November 2013, the former Preston North End midfielder was appointed boss of League Two strugglers Bury just nine days later.
The Shakers were languishing in 20th when he took over, but Bolton-born Flitcroft transformed their fortunes, securing a comfortable 12th-placed finish in 2013/14.
Flitcroft revolusionised Bury Football Club and its squad as he embarked on a promotion challenge which ultimately ended in success with a 1-0 final day win over Tranmere Rovers, clinching promotion to League One.
The now Stags' boss parted company with Bury in November 2016 and accepted the vacant manager's post at Swindon Town prior to the beginning of last season.
Flitcroft brings his new side to Wiltshire on Saturday for the first time since jumping ship to the Stags in March of this year.
