The mayor, a fierce critic of would-be owner John Batchelor, replaces James Derry, who resigned on Friday after admitting his position had become 'untenable' when his third bid to buy the club in recent weeks failed.

• Derry resigns from Stags

Mr Egginton - in place at least for the last seven games of the season -told Chad: "I was asked this morning if I would step in and I said yes straight away.

"I hope this will give the club some credibility and shows how important it is that we retain our League status.

• Would-be Stags owner slams decision to make mayor Stags chairman

"That is the most important things right now - that the fans come back to the club and support the players in these vital games.

"Having a League club means so much to the town and the fans. It is worth millions to the economy of the town."

He repeated chief executive Stephen Booth's plea earlier today for the fans to repeat their passion from the Notts County game on Saturday in the remaining matches at Field Mill this season.

• Let's get the focus back on the pitch - chief exec

"Fans need to put behind then any differences with Keith Haslam and boycotts. The players need your support, they are playing their hearts out for Mansfield."

Denying that their would be any conflict of interest with his role at Mansfield District Council, he added that he hoped his presence would help ensure 'the right, new owners' come to the Stags in the future.

The mayor - an outspoken critic of would-be owner John Batchelor - told Chad: "Maybe I can oversee a deal that goes through in the best interests of the club, the fans and the town.

"It is important the new owners have the club and the fans at heart.

"I have been trying to help behind the scenes to bring in a credible new owner for some months now.

"Keith (Haslam) has to be realistic. We need to broker a deal and secure the future of this club.

"But I will NOT be chairman of Harchester United, you can be assured of that."

Mr Egginton spoke out strongly on Friday against the news that would-be owner Mr Batchelor wanted to rename Mansfield Town as Harchester United - the fictional team in Sky TV's soap Dream Team.

• Mansfield Town to Harchester United - all the stories


• Mayor calls Stags' Harchester plan bizarre

The mayor, who has been interviewed by Sky TV on Monday about the Harchester idea, added: "That story and idea has not done the club any good at all. And what must the players have thought when they were trying to prepare for the vital game at Notts County on Saturday.

"It is all just a personal publicity stunt."

Mr Booth, who said the appointment had nothing to do with the takeover talks at the club, said he hoped Mr Egginton would be a unifying voice for the club as a whole.

He told Chad: "I felt it was important that we have a chairman with strong local connections who is not allied to any particular group."

When asked why the club needed a non-executive chairman, he replied: "There are a number of reasons why I believe we do and I am delighted Tony has agreed to join us."

Mr Booth told the club's official website mansfieldtown.net: "I am delighted to announce that, following James Derry's resignation, the mayor of Mansfield, Tony Egginton, has agreed to become non-executive chairman of Mansfield Town Football Club.

"I trust the people of Mansfield in general and the supporters of the Stags in particular will view this as a very positive appointment and will join me in wishing Tony every success in his new role.

He added: "The team has seven matches left to secure its Football League status.

"All seven are very winnable and I urge the people of Mansfield to turn out in force for our remaining home games, starting with Wrexham tomorrow, and roar the team home to safety."

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