And he revealed that he had been having takeover talks with chief executive Stephen Booth - but mainly with Haslam's accountant Chris Harrison.

Batchelor, speaking on radio station 103.2's special phone-in, said: "Stephen (Booth) and I have agreed to cease hostilities. He has been working on what the prospective budget would be in the Conference.

"I would hope that the deal can be done within a couple of days . . . perhaps on Wednesday or by next Monday."

Two weeks ago both Keith Haslam and Stephen Booth said there would be no takeover talks until the club's League fate was known.

But on Tuesday night Mr Booth, who had made it clear that Mr Batchelor was not welcome at Field Mill and that he did not want to sell the club to him, dismissed the would-be Stags' owner's claims - and said he did not expect any deal to be concluded over the next few days.

He told Chad: "John Batchelor called me on Tuesday morning to talk about the incident at Field Mill on Saturday which is now a police matter.

"I told him I was working on alternate business plans for the benefit of any potential bidders. That's all there was to it."

However, Batchelor insisted to Chad later in the evening - when told of the chief executive's comments - that his takeover talks were well progressed.

He said: "I hope to be in control as early as tomorrow, who knows? I have plenty of plans and ideas already in place. I am just waiting to take control to start to implement them.

"I have a team lined up to come in - a manager who could still play, a dirtector of football and a coach - and they are already working on players they would like for next season."

When asked about the fans' dislike for him, what happened when he had to be escorted away from them at Macclesfield for his own safety, and the attack on the equally unpopular Keith Haslam on Saturday, he replied: "I am not in this to win friends.

"If the fans don't like me, so be it. I tried that at York, and it didn't work.

"By now everyone knows what I want to do with the club. I have not tried to hide anything. If the club makes money, I make money.

"It is as simple as that really."