Nigel Clough to become Mansfield's longest-serving manager this weekend

Nigel Clough will this weekend become the longest-serving manager in Mansfield Town's history, overtaking club great Ian Greaves, BBC Sport reports. The record is measured by active years in the job and league matches in charge.

Clough is six years and one week into his time with the Stags. He is also the second longest-serving manager across England's top four leagues, behind only Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. The milestone is notable for the 92 clubs that make up the English pyramid, where few managers last so long.

A record already held elsewhere

Clough already holds the longest-serving record at Burton Albion, the east Staffordshire club. He spent 16 years there across two spells that spanned more than two decades and took in around 900 matches.

At Mansfield he has taken charge of 329 matches in all competitions.

Not an achievement, says Clough

The 60-year-old, a former England forward, does not see his staying power as anything special.

I don't think it's particularly an achievement; I think it's more an indictment of football that nobody else has lasted that long.

He told BBC Sport he rarely thinks about the milestone. "I'm just trying to get through the week," he said.

Clough pointed to his late father, Brian Clough, who spent 18 years at Nottingham Forest, as well as Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. He said that even lower down the pyramid there had been many managers who stayed for years.

Patience in short supply

Clough believes the modern game has little tolerance for managers. "I just think it's sad the way football is going at the moment. The first bad period that people have, a month, two months or something like that, and the manager is the one that goes," he said.

Clough played in the top flight for Forest, Liverpool and Manchester City. He has been in management for 28 years and has taken charge of only four clubs: Mansfield, Burton, Derby County and Sheffield United.