Archived News from April 2008
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AUDIO - 103.2 PHONE-IN WITH BOOTH, BATCHELOR ...
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Mansfield Town takeover farce during 103.2 phone-in
By Tim Morriss, CHAD.co.uk, 9Apr2008 audio here ---> http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Mansfield-Town-takeover-farce-during.3964899.jp Click on the link above listen to the full phone-in - featuring Mr Booth, TEAM Mansfield's Chris Vasper, Chad's Tim Morriss, 103.2's Jason Harrison and Tony Delahunty THE takeover at Mansfield Town descended into even more farce on Wednesday lunchtime during a phone-on on radio station 103.2 to discuss the turmoil off the pitch at Field Mill. There were claims and denials of takeover meetings between Keith Haslam and John Batchelor and the threat by chief executive Stephen Booth to resign if a meeting had been planned without his knowledge Would-be buyer Mr Batchelor insisted on air that he had an arranged meeting with owner Mr Haslam and his accountant Chris Harrison to discuss the 'Harchester United' businessman's takeover offer - at Mr Harrison's Sheffield offices. That prompted Mr Booth, brought to the club by Mr Haslam to broker sale, to say he would resign if such a meeting had been arranged behind his back. Mr Booth had earlier confirmed once again during the phone-in that he does not want the club to be sold to Mr Batchelor - but that the hated businessman seems to be the front runner. The phone-in ended with Mr Haslam, though not willing to go on air, telling 103.2 that no meeting had been set-up for 3pm on Thursday at 180 London Road, Sheffield (where Mr Haslam's is based) - as Mr Batchelor claimed on air. However, the farcical situation then descended into even more uncertainty during the afternoon when Mr Batchelor told Chad that he had spoken to Mr Harrison after the phone-in and the takeover meeting was still on. Chad repeatedly tried to contact Mr Harrison and Mr Haslam without success on Wednesday afternoon. But Mr Booth told Chad later in the afternoon: "I have spoken to Keith (Haslam) and he says there is no meeting with John Batchelor tomorrow or one planned for any other day. "I have made my position clear. I do not want the club to be sold to John Batchelor. But, ultimately if he comes up with the money and if there is no other alternative, Keith might have to decide whether to sell to him. I don't know what that decision might be. But any sale to John Batchelor would not happen through me." |
Latest | April 2008