Stags Fans For Change is calling for a peaceable and unified demonstration of strength from Stags fans at the forthcoming game with Macclesfield Town on Friday the 23rd of March.
We want to tell Keith Haslam, glad as we are that he has bowed to pressure to go national with his plans to sell the Club, that we still want him out of MTFC sooner rather than later - 88% of Stags fans asked said that they want him out of the Club.
SFFC encourages all fans, including those already staying away from Stags' home games, to turn up at the ground and meet outside the West Stand at 7.15pm for a mass demonstration.
Chairman James Derry has this week insulted fans by saying that there is a "hatred for the Club" from a minority of them. Far from there being hatred for the Club, the fans behind this demonstration have shown nothing but the strongest of positive passions to take the club forward in a new and positive direction.
However, SFFC believes strongly that MTFC cannot do this whilst ever Keith Haslam has anything to do with the running of the football club. We aim to protest in the following ways - those in support of a boycott to do so, and those not in support of the boycott but sharing many other fans' frustrations with Keith Haslam, to join with the boycotters in a demonstration before the match, and then go into the ground 15 minutes after kick-off.
The aim of the protest is to show Mr Haslam that Stags fans have endured enough over the last 14 years and that they have no confidence in him as the owner of Mansfield Town Football Club. Even if you cannot miss 15 minutes of a match, please come and support us, and more importantly, show your feelings towards Mr Haslam, by joining in the demonstration before kick off.
SFFC has listened to the debates taking place about a boycott and does not in any way wish to create a division between fans. Whilst the group would encourage everyone not to attend the game, it also respects the opinion of those who wish to go in and see the team play. SFFC does not and never will support intimidation of fans with opposing views to its own - we want to hold a good natured demonstration.
We aim to show Mr Haslam that although there is a difference of opinion on tactics and actions, the vast majority of fans still want to see him sell the club and leave for good. Mr Derry will no doubt say that by staying away fans will hurt the Club financially, and yet it was Mr Derry who stated publicly a few weeks ago that it is Mr Haslam being at the Club that makes it difficult to attract new investors.
Once again it is the fans that are being blamed for the problems at the Club when the fault lies with Mr Haslam. Mr Derry has said that "as far as I know" and "Keith has assured me" that the loans Keith Haslam took out of the Club have been repaid and yet we have been told by sources within the Club that Mr Haslam has still to pay back his loan. How many times has Keith Haslam "assured" us of things he has and has not done only for the contrary truth to come out at a later date? He "assured" us he would not take out any more loans - but he did.
He "assured" us last year and the year before that he had paid back the loans and we still won't know for sure until the delayed AGM some time after the end of this season. Research conducted by SFFC shows that the Club should have enjoyed an extra windfall of more than £2,000,000 over the last three seasons and yet Mr Haslam is pleading poverty!
Chairman James Derry has called for Stags' fans to vote with their feet, SFFC ask them to do likewise and turn up on the 23rd of March for the demonstration. Sources within the Club claim Mr Haslam is not an asset to the Club - if you agree with them, please join in with our demonstration.
How can we put the past behind us when the root cause of all our problems remains at Field Mill?