Archived News from January 2009
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HASLAM - I DONT WANT TO BUILD HOUSES AT FIELD MILL
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I don't want to build houses at Field Mill - Keith Haslam
CHAD, 26 January 2009 By Helen Lambourne THE owner of Mansfield's Field Mill stadium says he does not know why the football ground has been suggested as a possible site for a housing development. Keith Haslam made the comments after Chad revealed last week the Stags' ground was among 108 sites across the Mansfield district being considered for housing over the next 15 years. Mr Haslam - who sold Mansfield Town Football Club in the summer but remains landlord at Field Mill - told Chad he was not aware the stadium was among the sites being looked at. He said: "I have got no views on it really. It is a football stadium at present. I have got no plans to sell it. "I would have thought it was suitable for housing but I have got no real thoughts on it. "As far as I am aware, the football club has got a lease on it for the next 10 years." Under Mansfield District Council's Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, the authority invited landowners, the public and developers to suggest sites which could be suitable for housing — and has a duty to assess them all. But Mr Haslam said it was not him who had suggested the site for housing and he did not know who could have proposed it. Other sites being looked at include large areas of land between Forest Town and Mansfield Woodhouse and a major stretch of land along the MARR road towards Rainworth. ---------------- Stags fan guilty of Haslam attack CHAD.co.uk, 29 January 2009 , By Staff Copy http://www.chad.co.uk/news/Stags-fan-guilty-of-Haslam.4929143.jp A MANSFIELD Town fan has been convicted of attacking the club's ex-owner Keith Haslam. Stephen Hymas (46), of Poplar Grove, Forest Town, punched Mr Haslam at Field Mill just minutes after the Stags had been all-but relegated from the Football League in April last year - but was cleared of kicking him. He had denied the accusations. Mr Haslam suffered a minor eye injury in the attack and was taken to King's Mill Hospital for treatment. He was attacked at the height of a supporters campaign urging him to sell the club - with many fans blaming him for the eventual relegation to non-league football. Just months earlier Hymas had been part of the James Derry consortium which failed in a bid to buy the club from Mr Haslam. The incident happened in front of former Mansfield chief executive Stephen Booth, who was among the witnesses to give evidence on behalf of the prosecution at the town's magistrates. He told Chad at the time of the attack: "We are all shocked. I saw it with my own eyes. "How can you justify behaviour like that? The person who did it ran off, but I recognised him. The girls working in the boardroom are very distressed and upset. "Keith is obviously very shaken by it all, as are the staff." During the trial the court heard evidence from George Dodds, who described himself as an aquaintance of Hymas and had been invited to the game as a guest by another person. "The atmosphere at the game was very threatening and hostile as people were upset about what was happening on the pitch," he said. "It was also about the fact that Mansfield Town were losing the game, the anger was not all aimed at Mr Haslam." Mr Dodds said he saw Hymas and Mr Haslam 'within touching distance' of each other in the executive lounge after the game. "Stephen Hymas pushed Keith Haslam, they both went down. Mr Hymas' impetus made him fall over and he ended up kneeling over Mr Haslam." When asked by Mr Haslam's solicitor, Louise Higgins, if Mr Haslam had been punched he said: "No, I cannot see how he could have punched him. I never saw Mr Hymas horizontal and I did not seen anybody kick anybody." But in finding Hymas guilty today (Thursday) following a two-day trial, magistrates said: "Stephen Booth is a credible witness who saw you punch Mr Haslam. He saw no kick take place. You threw one punch and are guilty of common assault." Hymas has been bailed to be sentenced on 19th February. ----------- Businessman guilty of attacking former stags chairman Evening Post, 30jan2009 http://www.thisismansfieldtown.co.uk/news/Businessman-guilty-of-attacking--former-stags-chai.aspx A Businessman who had been in talks to buy Mansfield Town has been found guilty of common assault against ex-club chairman Keith Haslam.Prosecutor Louise Higgins told a two-day trial at Mansfield Magistrates' Court how Steven Hymas, 46, punched Mr Haslam in the face, causing him to fall over, when fans stormed the boardroom after Rotherham's 1-0 defeat of the Stags condemned the side to non-league football. Paul Carlin, for Hymas, said his client pushed Mr Haslam in self-defence when Mr Haslam raised a pint glass. Hymas, of Poplar Grove, Forest Town, owns a building company called Hymas Homes, and was a member of a consortium which had been in talks with Mr Haslam to buy Mansfield Town. "It's been a bizarre 12 months for me," he said outside court. "I've gone from nearly owning a football club to going to prison, possibly." He will be sentenced on February 19, when magistrates will also decide whether to ban him from future football matches. |
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