IT has been a year of change at Field Mill – in so many different ways.

The most obvious and significant shift has been in terms of results. After just a handful of victories in 2008, Mansfield have rediscovered the art of winning regularly.

The introduction of David Holdsworth as manager has been a key development, with his leadership and tactical nous having a real impact.

Another big plus has been the club's efforts to reach out to the community, with their cut-price season ticket offer a particularly commendable gesture.

But what has continued to change at the club more than anything else since January has been the playing staff.

Holdsworth has made no secret of the fact that he will never settle for what he has got, nor will he have favourites.

He is incessantly on the look-out to add new talent to the personnel he had at his disposal – and has made the signings to prove it.

Holdsworth promised things would change swiftly following his appointment – and he was not wrong.

Curtis Woodhouse, Alan Marriott, Louis Briscoe, Scott Garner, Curtis Shaw, Anthony Howell, Rob Duffy, Tomi Ameobi (loan) and Dan Whatsize all joined in time for their new boss' first game in charge.

A 1-0 home victory over Crawley ensured it was a winning start for the former Sheffield United and Birmingham City defender, a timely success with the Stags hovering dangerously close to the Blue Square Premier drop zone.

That was the start of a six-game unbeaten run – four of them wins – that quickly erased fears of a second successive relegation and briefly raised hopes of a late play-off push.

Holdsworth's first defeat as Mansfield manager came at Oxford but three wins from the next four games meant the Stags' momentum was maintained.

There was no shortage of activity off the pitch either as the likes of Scott Gardner, Paul Mayo, Ryan Williams, Gianluca Havern and Neil MacKenzie arrived.

And, prior to the game at Cambridge United in early March, Daryl Clare was unveiled as a big-name capture.

However, Mansfield's hopes of a top-five finish were scuppered by a drop off in their away form.

Following the 1-0 win at Rushden and Diamonds at the end of February, they suffered five consecutive defeats on the road before clinching a 2-2 draw in their final away fixture of the season at Woking.

In contrast, the home form was imperious as Mansfield remained unbeaten in the ten games they played at Field Mill after the turn of the year – six victories and four draws.

The most impressive of those was undoubtedly on the final day against Stevenage Borough, who went on to win the FA Trophy.

The Hertfordshire side had been beaten just once in their previous 30 matches but went home empty-handed as Scott Garner and Aaron O'Connor netted in a 2-1 success.

By that stage, Holdsworth had already let a number of players leave with Jason Lee the first to go in January, departing for Kettering.

And by the time the 2008-09 season drew to a close, Gavin Hurren, Alex Jeannin, Michael Blackwood, James Kay, Jamie McGhee, Chris Wood, Warren Burrell, Ryan Goward and Lewis Trimmer had also been jettisoned.

In the summer clear-out, Paul Mayo, Aaron O'Connor, Adie Moses, Alan O'Hare, Luke Herriott, Curtis Woodhouse, Mark Stallard, Curtis Shaw, Anthony Howell, Gianluca Havern, Neil MacKenzie, Jason White and Nathan Arnold were also shown the door.

That left the way clear for a summer recruitment drive that began in earnest early in the close-season and continued apace throughout the summer.

Luke Jones, Jake Speight, Paul Heckingbottom, Gary Mills, Luke Graham, Tim Sandercombe, Craig Armstrong, Steven Istead, Kyle Nix, Kyle Perry and Jason Bradley were added to the squad before the start of the new season.

Performances in friendlies suggested Mansfield could get off to a flying start and they certainly did that with a 4-0 thumping of Crawley.

Mansfield lost their next game at Luton Town 4-1, but that was their only defeat in their first eight league games as they quickly established themselves as promotion contenders.

Next to arrive were Blair Sturrock, Lee Gregory and Craig Dobson, while Levi Porter also joined on loan from Leicester.

The Stags were hit by three losses in a row in September, but soon bounced back and by the year's end are handily placed in the play-offs with 44 points from 25 games.

Of late, Mansfield have begun to find their feet on their travels but, conversely, they have struggled at Field Mill as teams have started to pile men behind the ball when they visit north Notts.

It is those struggles on home turf that has led to perhaps the biggest disappointment of the calendar year – a decent cup run.

After beating Altricham 3-0, Mansfield reached the first round of the FA Cup to play Forest Green but lost a home replay to a last-minute winner.

And while hopes were high of a Wembley visit in the FA Trophy, they were dashed at the very first hurdle as Tamworth won 2-0 at Field Mill just a couple of weeks ago.

Ahead of the transfer deadline for temporary signings at the end of November, Holdsworth once again strengthened his hand by bringing in Ollie Hotchkiss, Michael Brough, Jon Challinor, Andy Burgess and Lee Morris.

Some of those signings will become permanent in January and their impact could well go a long way to defining Mansfield's destiny in 2010.

Prior to the same deadline, Dobson, the long-serving Jonathan D'Laryea and Luke Graham all moved on.

In all, Holdsworth has signed more than 30 players permanently or on loan since taking the helm.

And he has also demonstrated his aptitude for disposing of those who are no longer required by culling almost as many.

That is not to mention the long list of trialists who have passed through the gates, with Paul Farman, Alton Thelwell, Jay Smith, Spencer Weir-Daley, Elijah Reid, Neil Collett, Bradley Jones, Ross Wilkinson, Rob English, Clint Easton, Michael McBride, Chris Orvington, Paul Tocco, Danny Bacon, Andrew Boyce, Kyle Wilkie, James McQuilkin, Anthony Peters and Richard Langley among them.

Some would argue that Holdsworth's policy of tinkering is counter-productive at times, not allowing players the time to settle.

But it is difficult to pick fault with the gaffer's record, winning 23 of the 48 matches over which he has presided (11 draws, 14 defeats).

But now the key thing for Mansfield is to build on the foundations that have been laid down over the past 12 months.

Those who know the club well appreciated it would not be easy to get things going in the right direction again after relegation from the Football League.

But now the ethos and ambition have been changed for the better, such good work must not go to waste.

Holdsworth, of course, will be determined to ensure the focus remains strong into the New Year and that his squad retains their play-off challenge.

Earning promotion back to the Football League is going to be extremely tough to achieve with the likes of Oxford, Luton, Stevenage and York all just as eager to take their place in the country's elite 92.

But if the Stags want to continue on their current upward curve, they realistically have to be looking at that as their next step.