Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough has revealed how his side came to sign former Swindon Town midfielder Louis Reed during an exclusive interview evening, with quotes via the Swindon Advertiser.
The 26-year-old was a long-time target of the Stags but after numerous rejections, they were left shocked when Swindon Town offered Mansfield Town the player themselves.
Since the move, Reed has established himself as one of Mansfield’s key players as they continue to battle towards the League Two title whilst Swindon Town slip further at the wrong end of the table.
Why was he in high-demand?
Reed had a very impressive spell with Swindon Town, helping them to secure a play-off place in League Two which almost saw them gain promotion back to the third tier.
The midfielder contributed to eight goals in 67 appearances in all competitions for Swindon Town and remained at the spine of the League Two side. He attracted plenty of interest from clubs including Mansfield Town who made several attempts to try and land the talented midfielder before eventually succeeding in unexpected circumstances.
What was revealed?
The Mansfield Town boss revealed that Swindon Town contacted them out of nowhere to offer Reed to the Stags for a very small transfer fee and it proved to be an offer that was simply “too good to turn down.”
Speaking in an exclusive event “A night with Nigel Clough”, he stated…
“So, recruitment is absolutely massive to get the right people in the building, sometimes you can’t get them when you want.
“We couldn’t get Louis Reed 12 months before [January 2022] or six months before because Swindon wouldn’t let him go.
“Then we get a call in January ‘Yes, you can have him for 25 grand or something like that’, so you snap their hands off.
“You just try and improve every time you sign a player, hopefully, and that is one of the things that people don’t see.”
The future is bright
Following his impressive form for the Stags this season, Reed has secured a new contract with the League Two side until June 2025 and could celebrate this achievement with the title and subsequent promotion medal at the end of the current campaign.
Reed has made 42 appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring twice and assisting an additional three goals for Nigel Clough’s side.
