Mansfield Sale Completed - 08/10/2007

Mansfield Town are not one of the most glamorous clubs in English football, but their fans have an intense loyalty to the side. Managing director Keith Haslam has been in charge for 14 years, but has been far from universally popular. However, chairman James Derry has agreed a deal to buy the club from Haslam after an Australian consortium dropped out of the running. A consortium fronted by Derry will buy the Stags from Haslam, who has retained ownership of their Field Mill ground and will lease it to the club, an arrangement that might have the potential for problems. Derry has pledged that once the contracts have finally been completed, he will meet with supporters' groups to discuss the way forward. Backward for Mansfield would mean the risk of relegation out of the Football League altogether.