John Radford: Mansfield chairman will back Steve Evans for 'promotion push'

Carolyn Radford and John Radford celebrate Mansfield's return to the Football League in 2013

Mansfield Town chairman John Radford says manager Steve Evans will be given the backing for an automatic promotion push next season.

The Stags finished four points adrift of the play-offs this season in 12th place in League Two.

Radford said: "We are targeting automatic promotion.

"Steve will have my full backing to do what is required to give us the best possible chance of delivering promotion to League One."

Evans, who was appointed as Stags boss on a two-and-a-half-year contract in November last year, publicly asked for his chairman's backing for a promotion push last week, saying he was "not a League Two manager".

Radford has revealed the pair had since met with CEO Carolyn Radford and all three are in agreement about the way forward.

"Our meeting went very well as expected," continued Radford.

"Steve was in buoyant mood, great spirits and typically passionate and determined as we spoke about our plans to make the Stags bigger, better and stronger.

"Steve has a series of meetings tomorrow (Wednesday) with current players and our retained list will be announced soon after those meetings have been conducted."