"I have to wonder, do Keith Haslam and Stephen Booth really want to sell this club?" he told Chad before the match.

"You have to wonder what is going on. Talk about mixed messages.

• Click on the green play icon for a pre-match audio interview with John Batchelor by Chad's Stephen Thirkill

"You tell me where we are at, at this moment I really don't know.

"This is hardly the way to deal with someone you want to sell a club to. To say I have not had a warm welcome from the club's management is an understatement."

Batchelor thought he would be a guest of the club – ahead of a takeover meeting he expects with Stags owner Keith Haslam on Monday . . . a meeting which now appears to be in doubt.

But when he arrived he found no complimentary ticket to the executive area – and stewards under instructions not to let him in at that entrance.

Eventually he paid through the turnstiles – and was then informed by Chad that mayor and chairman Tony Egginton had said on Saturday morning that there would be no takeover meeting on Monday.

• Batchelor and Haslam in takeover talks on Monday


• Stags fans could buy shares in Mansfield - Batchelor


• Batchelor Stags bid only one on table - Haslam


• Derry resigns from Stags after takeover collapse


• Stags takeover confusion as controversial businessman may step in

Mr Egginton told Mansfield radio station 103.2 on Saturday: "No sale has been agreed. He (Batchelor) has not got a meeting to sign a deal with Mr Haslam on Monday."

And Stags chief executive Stephen Booth, brokering the sale of the club, insists that no formal offer has been placed by Batchelor - although he has previously admitted that there have been discussions between the Stags and Batchelor about his proposals.

Booth has also recently told Chad that he does not now expect a sale to take place until the end of the season.

But on Saturday afternoon he referred all questions to the comment earlier in the day from the club's chairman.

However, he did confirm that the club is saying there is no meeting planned for Monday - and that the club did not invite Batchelor to the match as a guest.

Batchelor, given a rough ride by fans in the ground on Saturday afternoon who recognised him after his Harchester United renaming idea, told Chad: "If I am kind, perhaps it is a breakdown communication between the club and me.

"I have been honest with the fans and everyone. I have said all along that I see Mansfield as a commercial vehicle for me, for both of us to make money.

"I don't blame them for being hostile towards me, but I can say now this club will Not be renamed Harchester if I take over.

"But that does not mean the idea is dead in the water. There are other ways we could use it, without actually renaming the club.

"It can be adopted in many forms.

"I still do want to take over this club. I have shown the owner we have the funds. The chief executive (Stephen Booth) needs to talk to the club accountant if he thinks I haven't.

"The chief executive is getting in the way of the deal for whatever reason.

"I spoke to the owner last week and he said he was waiting for his accountant to get back (in the country) before we could have a meeting on Monday. I don't know what is going on anymore!"

Batchelor left the match midway through the first half, on the advice of stewards and because he was unable to meet Keith Haslam or Stephen Booth.

But on Saturday evening he insisted that he was still interested in buying the club and had proved to the Stags owner that he had the funding in place.

He said that the double snub, from fans and the club's hierarchy, had not put him off purusing his efforts to take over at Field Mill.

Stags owner Keith Haslam was at the match again, as he said he would now be at all future home matches in an exclusive Chad interview earlier in the week - his self-imposed ban on home matches seemes to be over.

• Batchelor bid only one on table - Haslam


• But it is not clear if he was aware of Batchelor's presence at the ground.

Also at the match on Saturday was TV producer Jane Hewland, who met fans to talk about her plan to produce a documentary on Sky One about the soap opera off the pitch at the club.

And former chairman James Derry again paid to watch the Stags, this time going into the Executive Lounge.

To complete a confusing picture off the field at the match - sponsored by chief executive Stephen Booth as a memorial to his sister, Kate who died earlier this year, and to raise funds for the John Eastwood Hospice - new chairman Tony Egginton was not at the Mill due to a previous engagement.