MANSFIELD Town have told the Advertiser that manager Steve Evans remains pivotal in their future plans despite persistent links with the vacant role at Swindon Town.

The 54-year-old is one of the bookies’ favourite for the position vacated by Luke Williams last week and with former Swindon player Adi Viveash distanced from the role yesterday, those odds have shortened.

However, Mansfield have this afternoon confirmed that no approach from Town has been made for Evans, who replaced Adam Murray at the helm of the One Call Stadium in November last year.

The former Boston United, Crawley Town, Rotherham United and Leeds United manager guided the Stags to a 12th-place finish in League Two in 2016-17, lifting them from 18th place when he took over.

Last week, Evans was reported as saying that he was ‘not a League Two manager’ and wanted to be assured by Mansfield chairman John Radford that he would be backed in his ambitions to get the Stags promoted next season.

Those talks took place last night and having been approached by the Adver today, the club have said Evans has their full backing going forward and will ‘not allow for any distractions’.

“The club can confirm that it has not received an official approach for the services of manager Steve Evans,” said Mansfield’s head of media and communications Mark Stevenson.
 

“The manager signed a two-and-a-half-year contract in November last year and therefore continues to be under contract at One Call Stadium.

“The manager has met with our chairman John Radford and chief executive Carolyn Radford as we begin our work towards our primary goal of promotion in 2017-18.

“Our chairman issued a powerful address to our supporters on Sunday night in an end-of-season awards ceremony at One Call Stadium.

“In the address, the chairman stated unequivocally that the manager will have his full backing heading into next season and we will leave no stone unturned in our endeavours to fulfil the dreams of a town and its people.

“Our club is in its healthiest state in recent memory, and whilst we are fully respectful of our opponents in Sky Bet League Two and the division in which we will compete, we will not allow for any distractions as our work now begins in mounting a serious promotion challenge next season.”