MP Alan Meale has called for an immediate fresh start at Mansfield Town Football Club - before it is too late.
He has warned that a strategy has to be put in place for the club's future very quickly, 'otherwise there may be no Mansfield Town FC and no Field Mill stadium at all'.
The MP said that the stadium and surrounding land would be very attractive to people looking for business opportunities and there needed to be a plan to preserve the football club.
And he called for a new chairman, who did not have a conflict of interest, and a new board to be installed
Mr Meale spoke out in the aftermath of Saturday's chaos at Field Mill, which saw the club almost certainly relegated to non league football after a proud 77-year history in the Football League - and owner Keith Haslam attacked by fans.
Mansfield's MP told local radio station
103.2's Tony Delahunty that he had not been in contact with Stags owner Keith Haslam since mayor Tony Egginton was installed as chairman recently.
But he said he would do everything he could to keep the club alive - and that he would fight any plans to close the Stags by Mr Haslam, who says he has yet to be convinced any would-be buyers have the necessary funding in place for a takeover.
- To listen to the interview in full, courtesy of 103.2, click on the green play icon
Mr Meale said: "We have to have a fresh start . . . there has to be a new tomorrow and it needs to happen very quickly, otherwise there may be no Mansfield Town Football Club and no Field Mill stadium at all.
"After Saturday you wouldn't blame him (Keith Haslam) for closing the club down.
"And people have to understand this is a site just off the town centre and there are people looking for business opportunities.
"We have to have a plan now that makes Mansfield Town continue as a football club, very very quickly.
"If we don't there is no future for the football club.
"But I would not support any attempt to close down the club . . . anything I can do to help keep the club running I will do.
"I have worked with the devil before to try to get things done for the benefits of my constituents."
Mr Meale said he was speaking out on behalf of the staff at the club, whose future appears uncertain.
He added: "What everyone forgets is that people are employed there other than footballers . . . there are many other people, cleaners, office workers and ground staff.
"They don't know where their future lies. I feel for them and the fans. Fans must be totally bewildered by the on and off the field activities at the moment.
"What's been happening at Mansfield for a long time now has affected all those people at the club.
"It now needs a strategy about where it goes from here.
"I deliberately took a backward step from the club . . . a section of fans blamed me for what had gone off and I understood their frustration.
"But I have a responsibility to people who work there to try to keep the business operative.
"I urged the then chief executive (Keith Haslam) to step aside and he did eventually, but all to no avail.
"We have to have a strategy, we all have to go that extra mile - there is no other way.
"Mansfield has to have a football club and get back in the League.
"People who work there have to have their futures guaranteed.
"It needs a new chairman and a new board, someone not tainted by this and who has a good grasp on business and a good business integrity.
"There has got to be money put into the club and there needs to be representatives from the fans and the business community on the board.
"People who have a conflict of interest - it is not for that, we have to have a fresh start."
103.2 is hosting a special programme on Tuesday evening, following the crucial match between Chester and Stockport which could end the Stags' 77-year run in the Football League.The full article contains 727 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
