Thetownend.com

I've had this come through the SD list about Mansfield. It's an interesting read:

Our situation is quite unique in that we would probably not have any financial problems if Keith Haslam had not taken large amounts of money out of Mansfield Town. The relevant issues are as follows:

1 Mansfield Town is only in the position it is in because of the large amounts of money loaned by the football club to Keith Haslam and his company, Stags Limited. These loans have exceeded £1,000,000. If people need further information then they can read the David Conn article on The Guardian website from 7th December 2005 titled "The man who owes Mansfield over a million".

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1660440,00.html

2 The football club's accounts for the year ended 30th June 2003 showed that £239,297 of loans to Keith Haslam had been "written off" meaning that these loans will never be repaid.

3 The latest accounts for the football club for the year ended 30th June 2006 show that the football club is owed £585,728 by Keith Haslam's company, Stags Limited. This represents an interest free loan that was made by the football club to Stags Ltd. The money was used by Stags Ltd to buy land at Skegby, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts for a Training Ground and Football Academy. This has never been built. We consider that Keith Haslam has breached the duties that he owes to the football club as a director of the club and so this land should be sold and the money returned to the football club.

4 Keith Haslam has been in charge of the football club for around 15 years but the commercial income generated by the football club is almost non-existent (less than £100,000 compared to Lincoln City's £600,000). This is mainly due to many local business people refusing to deal with Keith Haslam. There is no proper management structure or business plan for the football club. What has Keith Haslam been doing to justify his £70,000 plus salary? If commercial income was at normal levels then this would cover the current trading loss of around £250,000.

5 Keith Haslam is currently trying to sell the club to a consortium led by current Chairman, James Derry. The deal will leave Keith Haslam or his company, Stags Ltd, owning Field Mill Stadium and the surrounding land, the land at Skegby and collecting an annual rent of over £200,000 per year. However, it has not been fully explained how this will be done. Team Mansfield (the Trust) have pointed out that they would expect Keith Haslam to pay the full market value for the land and stadium at Field Mill. This is the major asset of MTFC Ltd and must not be transferred out of the football club at an undervalue.

Poor bastards, they have it even worse than we did. I can't believe the Football League let these men get away with things like this.

That idiot batchelor is trying to change the name of Mansfield to
Harchester?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/7318218.stm

Also :

Unfotunately it is true although Keith Haslam has not yet confirmed that he has sold the Stags to John Batchelor (formerly of York City). If you want to see the full story have a look at the Mansfield Chad's website where there was almost a new story every hour yesterday

http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Mansfield-Town-to-be-named.3924217.jp?CommentPage=2&CommentPageLength=10#comments

Batchelor has admitted that he has asset stripped companies and that he is looking to make money out of Mansfield Town for himself and his immediate family. He admits making £120,000 from York City before it went into administration. He also seems to have a lot of enemies as people who have worked for his companies have been emailing the CHAD telling them that Batchelor has no assets, lives in a rented flat and has had his Bentley taken off him. He has admitted that he has no assets. Have a look at the Questions and Answers on the CHAD website.

His attitude to the fans is summed up by the following comments:

Mr Batchelor, after spending the last 24 hours answering questions from fans via Chad.co.uk, also issued a statement about his motives for wanting to buy the Stags:

"Let's be clear, I want a football club, preferably one in the league. The ONLY reason that I want it is to make money, the only reason that I want to do that is to look after my immediate family. I can only do that by making it work on the pitch and as a result making it work commercially. This would be MY club, if you like what you see come and watch, if you don't, then stay away. I am not even interested in discussing it with "fans", however, I will talk to customers anytime. If Mansfield is going to host professional football, it has to accept that there need to be some HUGE changes at this club. If the fans don't want to host it, all they need to do is not turn up. I have a plan, and I have a vision of what football needs to do, I am going to do my best to achieve it, I am not a multi-millionaire, just a guy who has some idea's who is prepared to have a go and take a risk"

"I will budget for no fans turning up at the ground, which really every club should do. As you will have seen from my replies, I am not trying to attract negative thinkers, either get behind this, or watch football somewhere else. IF I am successful in achieving ownership, this will be MY club, MY business and up to me to provide entertainment, it is MY risk. Come and watch if you want. I'm sorry if all of that sounds a bit brutal, but those would be the facts of life, and I do not want to get off on the wrong foot by telling anybody something that is misleading, as I said in an earlier response I have that T-shirt. What do you want? I would have thought that it would be better to start off with honest responses. I am in this to make money,"

The Supporters Trust have been described as "web warriors","all mouth and no trousers" "mouthy fans" and "armchair critics".

He also gave the following answer to a York City fan

Wise Man From York:
Q2. Do I recall rightly that you disappeared into the Cheshire sunset and your nice new abode sometime after the £400K from Persimmons Homes went walkies from York City, leaving York City 'Sporting Club' far further up the creak than when you arrived wielding your golden £1 coin?

JB: You recall correctly.

You could not make it up!

Some Stags fans believe it may all be a cunning ploy by current owner Keith Haslam to persuade fans to accept him back at Field Mill. An accountant called Stephen Booth is currently running the club on his behalf until he finds a buyer but a lot of fans think that Haslam does not really want to sell because he makes too good a living from the football club.

WTF you couldn't make that stuff up?  Bloody hell how the FL aren't involving themselves in this is beyond me!!

What the hell is the sport coming to?

Still, at least they're not busybodies

Exactly the problem we and many other clubs have had - the FL regulations on owners are just paper window-dressing. Batchelor passes the "Fit and proper person test" as indeed would Mike Diamandis. If the FL/FA want to have any serious pretensions to act as guardians of the game, it's about time they started beefing up their act against people like this

What a wanker. Stupid surname too.

I cant even begin to describe how ridiculous that comment is.

I'm guessing what he means is they are going to go play on a field somewhere so they dont have to pay for the ground and its overheads..??

 :soapy tit wank:

...and John Batchelor :D

I think that bit is kinda good. If every club budgeted for no gate receipts, there would be a lot less financial plight...

I hope your misses take you shoe shopping tomorrow.

You'll be pleased to know that you're not far wrong, yes I'm being dragged into that shitty little university town on the Thames, tomorrow for shopping, though not for shoes (yet). Grrr bastard Friday night games!

Yes, but he seems to be doing all he can to actively encourage it

Yeah right, bet you've got some lovely new heels in mind!  :wink:

I really feel for them to be honest...

How on earth a man like Batchelor can even come near a football club again is beyond me. Made a mockery of York City, turning them into a 'Soccer club' to appeal to Americans and involving them in racing somehow... Including a lovely kit which included a checkered flag:

http://www.premiershirts.net/miscpics/York%20City%20Home%20Shirt%202002-03.jpg

We thought we had it bad! Poor sods.

Unbelievable stuff, seems the League have poo poo'd the idea of the re-name but here's Batchelor's response:



http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/League-would-block-renaming-of.3926343.jp

That bloke is a complete joke. WTF is he thinking?  :soapy tit wank:

Sounds like he is a relation to a certain greek gentleman who was involved with a FL club!

Unbelievable. Its not just 'his club' just because he's bought it.

These sort of people who brazenly admit that they are there to fuck a football club over and its fans for their own personal gain need to be taught otherwise. I hope he does get death threats. Just like Hicks and Gillett.

Being a lower league fan does seem to get more and more difficult. Money men who seem determined to trample on fans until they can completely rip the piss out of you.

fucking cunts. i fucking hate mansfield but if they have a fans day we should get a minibus up there like a shot.

Agree with that Mex, the bloke is a cock

Paul David - do you have a contcat up there? whats going to happen

its pathetic.but not worse than what Franchise got away with.

Craig's brother ?

Tell me Paul, What's Your Flava?

He met her on Monday, took her to a club on Tuesday, they were making love by Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and Saturday and just chilled on Sunday.