Archived News from November 2007
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STAGS FANS BLAST HASLAM
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Stags fans blast Haslam and pledge TV protest
CHAD.co.uk, by Tim Morriss, 29Nov2007,4pm ANGRY fans have slammed Stags owner Keith Haslam's decision on Thursday not to sell the club to the James Derry consortium - and vowed to highlight their protests in front of Sunday's live TV cameras. Some are calling for a boycott of future matches at Field Mill and others have returned their tickets for the FA Cup tie at Harrogate Railway in protest. The tie, to be screened live on BBC 1 on Sunday afternoon, will also see protests from the furious supporters. Mr Haslam announced on Thursday lunchtime that he had rejected a bid from the James Derry consortium. A spokesman for Stags Fans For Change, a vociferous group formed to remove Mr Haslam from the club, told Chad: "This will start our protests all over again. "We saw the Derry deal as light at the end of the tunnel. "Now Haslam seems to be cynically putting everything to one side in the hope of another pay day. "If he has the nerve to go to the game on Sunday he can be assured of a 'warm' welcome. "We will make sure the thousands of BBC viwers are aware of the situation. The banners and chants will be out again." SFFC is holding a race night at the New Ram, Littleworth, Mansfield, and called on as many fans as possible to attend and discuss protest plans. TEAM Mansfield chairman Chris Vasper told Chad today he would not be attending any future matches at the Mill while Mr Haslam remains in charge of Mansfield Town FC. And he called on supporters to consider how they felt after the news of the takeover rejection. Mr Vasper - who warned the news places the future of the club in jeopardy - said: "It is clearly a black day for Mansfield Town FC. The failure to come to a deal must be laid squarely at the feet of Keith Haslam, whose only motivation seems to be his own personal greed. "It is clear that he is happy to wait and see what happens on Sunday and any possible 'big' draw in a future round of the FA Cup. "Keith Haslam's comments over recent days suggest he is concerned about the financial safeguards for the club. This beggars belief in the light of the illegal loans he has taken out of the club and the loans for land owned by his own holding company "Over the past three years the club has made 250,000 losses in each of those years and indications are that they will be even bigger this year. How is that safeguarding the financial future of our club. "To their credit James Derry and John Thorpe, on behalf of consotrium, have kept the chairman of TM and the Stags Supporters Association (SSA) informed as much as they can about the progress of the sale, within the confines of their own confidentiality agreements. "They have been open and honest and transparent as theypromied they would be and represent the best possible future for MTFC. "Keith Haslam has shown complete disregard foir any bidders who come to try to purchase the club. He did it with TM, Andy Perry, the Australians and now he is doing exactly the same to James Derry. He does not have the interest of MTFC, the club or its supporters in mind. "The sooner he is gone the better the club will be "I for one am dreading the events of Sunday afternoon and evening and hope that if we do get through we don't draw one of the 'big' teams, otherwise we will find Keith haslam ruling the roost for some time to come." Mr Vasper added that the past 14 years of limited progress at the club had come from luck and unexpected windfalls, rather than leadership. He said: "MTFC is lacking in leadership, direction and nneds a change now or there will be no football club in 12 months' time." |
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