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Archived News from May 2011

GROUND SITUATION LATEST
20th May 2011 12:00


CHAD.co.uk, Thursday 12 May 2011

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/league_results_cost_stags_boss_russell_his_job_1_3376858?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

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One sticking block continues to be the fact that Stags don't have a 10-year lease on Field Mill and are trying to reclaim the ground from landlord Keith Haslam through the courts.

Although the club insist they have a 'plan B', fans are worried the new campaign could end up being a season of, in effect, 'friendlies' with the club unable to go up without a ground, which could put off a potential new manager.

If the ground is reclaimed Mr Radford has said he will put up a £2m promotion war chest. But, if the ground saga drags on, a new manager would still be expected to have them up there in the play-off reckoning with maybe only a quarter of that to spend.

“I hope the situation won't affect potential managers applying,” said Barker. “We are very confident we will get the ground back though the courts or through negotiations outside the courts.

“Candidates will be asked how they would go forward with different scenarios on budgets.”

Despite comments made to the contrary by Mr Haslams' legal representatives, Mr Barker insisted an out-of-court offer had been made and turned down to the landlord.

He said: “We made an offer to Mr Haslam after the court case but it wasn't agreed. I hope we can sit down and negotiate. But we do have a plan B which I can't go into.

“I can definitely say an offer was made at court when he asked to be given 14 days grace from our lawyers pursuing our claim.

“When our lawyers spoke to his lawyers after that 14 days they said we don't know why you are even asking as Mr Haslam said he had rejected it there and then which wasn't what we heard.

“We will just have to wait and see. We hope he will sit down and negotiate a price in both parties' interests. We will look to talk this summer.

“But we won't be held to ransom by Mr Haslam and if need be we can put 'plan B' into action by the end of next season.”

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Evening Post, 13 May 2011

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http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/mansfieldtown/boss-lead-Mansfield-Football-League/article-3554934-detail/article.html?

Barker hopes the uncertainty over the ownership of Field Mill will not put off potential managers.

He is still optimistic the ground can be acquired from landlord Keith Haslam before the start of next season.

Barker said: "I can definitely say there was an offer (to buy the ground) last time we were at court.

"He (Haslam) asked for 14 days' grace from us pursuing our claim, but after those 14 days his lawyers said he had rejected the offer there and then in court.

"We are always open to sit down and negotiate a price and I would like to think it would get sorted this summer, but we aren't going to be held to ransom.

"I would like to think the issue won't affect the calibre of manager interested in the job.

"We are very confident of getting the ground back either though the courts or negotiation outside the courts.

"If I was a manager I wouldn't hold that against a club and we have already had applications coming in through the a-mail system."

Radford has pledged to plough £2 million into the playing budget if Mansfield do kick-off 2011-12 owning Field Mill.

But Barker says possible different budgets will be discussed during the interview process.

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AFTER PAUL COX APPOINTED:

Radford promises new Stags boss - we will be able to go up this season
CHAD.co.uk, Thursday 19 May 2011

JOHN Radford today promised fans he would keep his part of the bargain and get the club in a position to be promoted next season if new Stags boss Paul Cox can do the business on the field.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/radford_promises_new_stags_boss_we_will_be_able_to_go_up_this_season_1_3396365

And the Mansfield Town chairman has also promised Cox one of the biggest, if not the biggest, budgets in the BSBP to achieve that aim.

Stags fans are worried that continuing court action to reclaim the ground from landlord and former chairman Keith Haslam could leave them without the necessary 10-year lease by the March deadline.

But Radford said, if the court action wasn't sorted in time, a Plan B has already been put into motion.

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Cox has only been given a year's contract but Raaford said: “All the candidates were offered the same one year deal and wages. It was the right contract for this club and Paul is happy with it.

“He will have one of the biggest budgets in this league if not the biggest.

“The money is there for him if he needs to spend it.”

On the court action, he added: “We are waiting for a response from Mr Haslam's solicitors to put their defence in at the moment.

“We want to get to court as quickly as possible and we are trying to put the pressure on.

“We want to do the best for this football club so we can really prosper and go forward, so if that's we have to do we will do it.

“I have offered the man what I am going to offer him and and I am not going to offer another penny.

“Plan B is already on track and started. If Paul can do it on the field we will make sure we are in a position to be promoted off the field.”

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Latest | May 2011