And he admitted up to three quarters of the current playing staff could be shown the door in a major clearout following Mansfield's relegation to the Blue Square Premier League.

• Stags bosses need to show ambition, says captain

He also urged the club to continue operating as a Football League club to help get straight back up

With almost every player's contract up and Holland's short-term tenure up in the air, no decisions have been made on anything by owner Keith Haslam and chief executive Stephen Booth.

"It is a ludicrous situation to expect me to talk to players and sort out their futures when I don't know my own," said Holland.

"I can't see it would be right for this football club for a new manager to come in and start off with the old manager's players or decisions.
"And we can't afford for this takeover situation to drag on over the summer.

"You'd hope they will run this as a Football League club next season, stay as professional as we can and do things right and everyone will give their all to getting us up at the first attempt.

"We can't afford two or three seasons languishing in the Blue Square. This relegation is a massive thing for the town as well as the football club.

"It is definitely harder to get back up the longer you stay there. We still have that Football League mentality at the moment."
Holland is hoping to organise a meeting with the powers that be by Friday.

"It is very important things are sorted quickly now," he said. "I spoke to people yesterday and said I wanted to know my future ideally before the weekend, Monday or Tuesday at the latest.

"I have put my claim forward. I am not going to make decisions if I am not going to be here.

"If the club can't make decisions then you can't blame players for looking elsewhere. People deserve to know what is happening with their futures.

"The past has happened and there is nothing we can do about it now. The most important thing is the future and Mansfield Town Football Club.
"Hard decisions need to be made if we are going to get this club promoted back into the Football League where it belongs.

"It won't be easy but I have been to numerous Blue Square League matches looking at players and there is no reason why we can't win that league next season.

"I want to get players in with experience of that league along with year-long loans from higher clubs. Mansfield Town can still attract players that will get us out of that league."

He added: "I have worked with our players all season and know what they are capable of. A lot of them didn't play to their abilities.

"I will make sweeping changes and I know it is going to be a long, hard summer ahead. After three or four disappointing seasons we need a clean sweep.
"We have given chances to certain players who now need to go elsewhere and give themselves a fresh start.

"Mickey Boulding is one player you would want to keep. But other teams in the League will be interested in him and it is up to us to make him an offer to stay here. The same with John Mullins and others.

"All we can do is make offers. It is down to the players if they want to accept it and stay here. If they go we need others waiting in line.

"I want quick decisions from them. They can go away on holiday and think about it but I want them to let me know their plans when they return."

Stags still have one final League game to face at Dagenahm and Redbridge on Saturday – a game that had for so long looked like it would be crucial but is now meaningless.

"It is still a professional League match and it is important the lads go out there and show their appreciation of the true Mansfield Town fans who I know will be there," said Holland.

"It is not going to be a nice feeling going down there as they celebrate staying up. But we are professional and mature enough to go and put a performance on.

"It is not a case of a lap of honour – we don't deserve one. But we owe the fans a performance.

The only doubts for Mansfield are over Alex John-Baptiste, with his calf injury, and Mickey Boulding, who missed training today with illness.