21/07/2008 - Mansfield Town places still up for grabs
Mansfield's trialists will be given an extended run to prove they are a worth a contract, says manager Billy McEwan.
The Stags featured ten players who are trying to win a deal at Field Mill in their first senior pre-season game on Saturday - a 1-0 victory over Hucknall.
But McEwan intends that to be just the start of his look at possible new signings.
It means goalkeeper Paddy Gamble, defenders Alan O'Hare, Gary Silk, Paul Hurst and Mark McGregor, midfielders Gavin Hurren, Tom Shaw and Matt Somner and forwards Rob Duffy and Jason Lee have until early August to impress.
"I am looking for players all the time but these players have a chance," said McEwan.
"Theses guys are looking for a job so there is a bit of pressure on them and you can understand them being nervous.
"But we are not going to jump in - there are four or five more [friendly] games to go. I'm not just going to make a decision on one game - I have invited all the players on trial to be here for the whole pre-season programme.
"There has been a lot of thought and effort gone into getting these players here. They have to be the right character and want to come and play.
"At York I played the whole pre-season with only three players on contract and even during the course of the season I had some of them on non-contract terms so I was paying them week by week. It could be the same thing here.
"We are playing at a level where we can't have payers sitting on good money in the stand.
"If you have three or four like that then it can kill little clubs such as us."
Michael Blackwood proved to be the Stags' match-winner with a close-range finish in the 51st minute.
McEwan added: "One of two have done quite well and one or two others not quite so well, but it is early days."
The second half saw Lee, now 37, come on and the former Forest and Notts County man's involvement has sparked much interest.
"Jason Lee phoned me up to see if he could come and play and I told him he could train with us," said McEwan.
"He has a chance to show what he can do."