Loan 'would have suited' Kilgour, says Stags boss

Alfie Kilgour missed almost all of Mansfield's promotion-winning League Two campaign through injury

Mansfield were keen to let Alfie Kilgour go out on loan last month as part of the defender's recovery from long-term injury, manager Nigel Clough has revealed.

Kilgour missed more than a year after rupturing his Achilles tendon and, despite returning to action in October, has been in and out of the Stags' side in recent weeks.

The 26-year-old was omitted altogether for Saturday's 3-3 draw at Blackpool, when Clough's side halted their run of six consecutive League One defeats.

"There were things happening in January, a chance of him going somewhere which I think personally would have suited him," the Mansfield boss told BBC Radio Nottingham. "That didn't quite happen.

"I think since the initial high after he came back, he's struggled a little bit and we're not in a position where we can put him out there every single week when he's making mistakes, so he gets through it and plays regularly.

"It's been such an up-and-down 18 months or so for him. The effect it can have on your mental health and everything is quite significant.

"He'll be in and around the squad (at home to Lincoln on Tuesday) and we'll see how he's doing. We'll continue to look after him and support him as best we can and I think he'll play a part between now and the end of the season."

Despite surrendering a 3-1 advantage during the final 20 minutes at Bloomfield Road, the Stags boss is confident his side's positive approach will enable them to build on that point and arrest their slide down the table.

"From day one, we've tried to be on the front foot and have a go at teams, home and away – which I think shows in the number of goals we've scored away from home over the last two or three seasons," Clough added.

"We just want them to keep playing in the same vein. This is the potential we've got, we've done it earlier in the season and we've got to do it a little more between now and May."