Mansfield Town sign Paul Edwards and chase Barnes-Homer

Barnes-Homer was on loan at Rochdale until the start of January

Mansfield Town have signed Fleetwood left-back Paul Edwards on a one-month loan and are also chasing former Luton Town striker Matthew Barnes-Homer.

Edwards, 32, joined Blue Square Bet Premier leaders Fleetwood in June, but has only played seven games.

And the Stags also hope to bring in Barnes-Homer, 26, who is a free agent after leaving the Hatters in January.

"We are speaking to Matthew but it all depends on pounds and pence," manager Paul Cox told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"We have to think about finances. He is one of the players we are speaking to but there are one or two others as well."

Cox tried to sign Edwards in the summer and the defender said he understood it was difficult to force his way into the Fleetwood side and hoped to get the chance to play regularly while at Field Mill.

"You can't really argue," Edwards said. "There is a massive squad there and a lot of lads not playing but results are going for Fleetwood at the moment.

"I need to be playing football. This is a great place to do that.

"The manager can only pick eleven and there are a lot of lads there that good players and aren't playing football."