The End?
It has been a while since I last stepped inside Field Mill, to be honest it has been that long, I simply can't remember. It was way back into the business end of the last campaign, whilst I sat patiently at home (or in the pub), waiting for the club to be rid of the Keith Haslam of the world, someone who was simply at the club for his own personal benefit.
It has now been a week since the news broke that James Derry (a man Haslam brought in, let's not forget to be club chairman), was to take over from Keith himself.
Derry, simply said that due to a confidential agreement, he wouldn't release details of the takeover, but agreed that small parts of the deal would eventually see the light of day.
Some of those points, have now come out, not least the rent that will now be paid to Keith Haslam, in order for the Stags to keep playing at Field Mill, this was something I guess, that every consortium that wanted to take over the running of the club, would have to bear. However, it would be interesting to note, that is this the reason, the other bidders pulled out at the last minute, citing "They couldn't agree to Haslam's demands".
Haslams demands were such, as we now have learned, is that he wanted a percentage of any future sale of any of the current playing staff, what is this guy on? he is so motivated by his own personal greed, that he keeps making an absolute fool of himself, in my eyes.
Mansfield Town was very good for Keith Haslam, unfortunately the same can't be said in reverse.
It also looks like the consortium headed up by Derry and his chums, will also be responsible for the upkeep of the ground themselves, and if the figures are correct, paying £200,000 in ground rent to a man who paid peanuts for the football club in the first place, meaning Haslam himself, can keep sunning himself in his villa in Portugal, whilst picking up a healthy £17,000 per month for doing absolutely sod all.
Given that Haslam still owed the club some £600,000 in personal loans, any ground rent deal should have totally been taken out of any takeover deal.
Can you really believe that Haslam will now be earning more money from Mansfield Town, now he has left the club, what an absolutely absurd situation.
Which leads me onto the euphoria that has greeted Derry's takeover plan, since it was announced last week. I accept that the Haslam 'years' has given all Stags supporters much reason to fear negativity, but I simply can't accept this deal that has been announced, given that Haslam will now be so much better off, whilst having a nice wry smile at the treatment of Derry as some messiah.
Given our current league position, the team without question, deserves all the support it can muster, in order to get out of the situation we now find ourselves in, but I simply can't see how the hell as a club, we are now going to find an extra £200,000 a year to now pay for ground rent.
I fear for the club, I really do. No amount of calling for supporters to come back I feel, will do much good. Haslam is still there, in all but name, £200,000 ??? Shove it where the sun doesn't shine Mr Haslam.
I am not writing this, to come and paint the bleakest picture of struggling to pay wages etc because of the high rent demands, I am merely writing my frustration at seeing the euphoria over this quite absurd (in my eyes) deal that has taken place.
Also, given that the vast majority of supporters (including the pressure group who helped get Haslam out, now on about sponsoring games etc) are now hugely behind this takeover deal, I guess I must be one of only a small voice with these thoughts.
And so I guess my time as StagsMAD editor will have to come to a sad end, it has been fun all the way, but of course I wish for nothing else than for Mansfield Town to get out of this hellhole in League 2, and for Derry to regain control of the football ground, as well as the club, and for everything to be green and rosy, so you can all tell me 'I told you so'.
You can't really have a Mansfield Town website editor, that dosn't really go the games, can you?
Mansfield Town continues to be very good for Keith Haslam, unfortunately it will be a long time before that statement can be wiped out completely.
See you around sometime.
Michael (Ex StagsMAD editor)