The Stags boss says the 24-year-old is being unfairly targeted by League Two defenders.
Mansfield Town boss David Flitcroft says he will ask the Referees Association about getting more protection for Nottingham Forest loanee Jorge Grant.
The Stags chief said he counted 14 fouls on the talented midfielder in the 1-0 defeat to Newport County last weekend, testament to being unfairly targeted by opponents.
Grant has impressed since joining Mansfield on loan from Forest last month, boasting a tally of four goals and two assists from six League Two games (Transfermarkt).
However, the 24-year-old’s talent – he is known to fourth-tier defences from his prior stints at Notts County – means he appears to now have a target on his back in games.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s big Nottinghamshire derby against Notts at Meadow Lane, Flitcroft outlined his hopes of keeping Grant out of harm’s way in the short and long term.
“It is something I am going to speak to the Referee’s Association about this week,” he told the Mansfield Chad. “I need to show how many times Jorge gets fouled and how many times it doesn’t get recognised.
“Jorge has lit this place up since he came in. He has been phenomenal since he walked in… so it could be construed that if seven or eight players tackle him, smash him, it doesn’t matter. But it does as if the referee takes action against one of those players, the next one might think twice. It’s something we are looking into this week.”
Grant became a fan favourite at Notts, his loan stints there yielding 25 goals and 12 assists in just 73 appearances as the Magpies survived relegation in 2016-17 and finished in the playoffs the following season, so his switch to Mansfield in January caused a stir among some of the County faithful.
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