THE appointment of David Holdsworth as the new Mansfield Town manager was still to be concluded on Boxing Day morning.
The search for a new manager looked to be over after the Stags on Christmas Eve offered the job to Holdsworth.
But the former Birmingham City and Sheffield United defender is still under contract at Ilkeston Town and was due to take charge of the Robins' home match with Matlock on Boxing Day afternoon.
It is believed that the Stags and Ilkeston are now in discussions over Holdsworth, whose contract with the Unibond Premier club is due to run out in May.
Holdsworth told Chad on Boxing Day morning: "Until I know differently, I will carry on as normal here with Ilkeston . . . I am a professional, have a great set of players here and will carry on the work we have started until I hear otherwise.
"Of course, I have aspirations to manage at a higher level and I have found Mr Perry and the Mansfield board very welcoming.
"But I have loved my time at Ilkeston and will continue to do my duty to the club."
The enthusiastic 40-year-old Ilkeston boss had earlier been in talks with the Stags on Christmas Eve morning after the Stags were given permission by Ilkeston to speak to the highly rated young manager.
After those talks, Holdsworth told Chad: "Yes, I have been offered the opportunity to take the manager's job and I am delighted.
"I have one or two loose ends to clear up at Ilkeston, but I hope that won't take long and I would look forward to taking the opportunity at Mansfield.
"I would like to think there won't be any problems and I hope that within the next 48 hours everything can be cleared up."
The move to offer the previously 'unknown' Holdsworth the job will surprise many fans, but already some supporters are welcoming the news as 'an inspired and brave decision'.
For in his first few months as a manager he has transformed Ilkeston in the Unibond Premier, won many plaudits from fans and already been linked with the Grimsby managerial vacancy earlier this season.
An official announcement on his appointment to succeed Billy McEwan, sacked two weeks ago, is not likely until after Boxing Day now, but it is still expected that he will be in charge for Monday's match at home to Burton.
The ambitious and enthusiastic rookie boss will be the seventh manager at Field Mill in four years.
Holdsworth - a vastly experienced player who made well over 500 first class appearances at several Football League clubs - was with his own club Ilkeston on Boxing Day, while for the Stags match at Kettering caretaker managers Mark Stallard and Adie Moses were in charge.
It was confirmed to Chad first late on Tuesday evening that the Stags had asked for, and been given, permission to speak to the former Sheffield United, Watford and Birmingham defender.
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Just a few hours later Holdsworth - who lives in Sheffield with his wife and young son - then met Stags owners Andy Perry, Steve Middleton and Andy Saunders on Christmas Eve.
Holdsworth, who has a contract at The Robins until the summer, told Chad earlier on Christmas Eve that he hoped 'things can be wrapped up quickly'."Given the opportunity, I am looking forward to working with the board and players and hope we can resurrect the season and push on."
And Stags chairman Andy Perry told Chad on Christmas Eve morning: "We will be meeting David today and have already spoken at length on the telephone. I am quite confident that after all the interviews, this could be the guy."
After guiding Ilkeston, featuring four reserves, to a 3-1 Derbyshire Senior Cup Second Round victory at Heanor on Tuesday evening in front of Ilkeston fans chanting his name, Holdsworth had told reporters: "I am sure that people are aware of the situation.
"People here (at Ilkeston) have made me extremely welcome. If developments happen, then developments will happen for football reasons.
"Mansfield Town are a very good club, but I am manager of this club (Ilkeston) and I will do things right."
It is not clear if Holdsworth intends to bring Ilkeston coach Kevin Philliskirk with him to Field Mill, should he get the job. Philliskirk, whose birthday is Christmas Eve, was head of youth development at Field Mill a few years ago.
Republic of Ireland Under-21 international defender Kieran Murphy, who last season was at MK Dons when Holdsworth was a coach and moved to Ilkeston in the summer, could be an early transfer target, according to some fans.
Initially, Holdsworth would come to Field Mill on his own and, according to Stags chairman Perry, 'evaluate who is here before making a decision on an assistant' - if appointed.
The owners had said on Tuesday that they would be conducting 'second' interviews with candidates this week and it has been reported that they have a second choice in mind if the Houldsworth move falls through.
Chad had exclusively revealed late on Monday evening that the Ilkeston Town boss was being strongly linked with the Field Mill hot-seat.
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And we reported first earlier on Tuesday how bookies Victor Chandler had suspended betting on the identity of the next Stags manager after original outsider Holdsworth was heavily backed.
We also reported on a last-ditch 'come and get me' plea to the club's owners by fans' favourite Richie Barker on Tuesday afternoon.
Holdsworth was not among the first names in the speculation that followed McEwan's sacking two weeks ago. But when the Stags' target Chris Wilder joined Oxford on Sunday, Holdsworth emerged as the favourite ahead of the likes of Richie Barker, Darren Patterson, Colin Walker, John Schofield, Gary Mills and Paul Cox.
Holdsworth (40), who took over as manager of Unibond Premier club Ilkeston Town in May, had a long playing career as a centre half.
The twin brother of Dean – who was most famous for his time in the Premiership with Wimbledon and Bolton – David Holdsworth played for Watford, Sheffield United, Birmingham City, Walsall, Bolton Wanderers, Scarborough and finally Gretna, and was capped once for England at Under-21 level.
His league career began at Watford where he played 250 times for manager Graham Taylor in 10 years at Vicarage Road, before moving to Sheffield United.
Then in 1999 Birmingham paid £1.25m for the defender, who had earlier gained one England U21 cap.
At the end of his playing career – spanning around 570 first class appearances – Holdsworth helped manager Sam Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers and then became reserve team manager at Gretna.
At Gretna he was also appointed director of youth development in May 2006, before being sacked in a cost-cutting exercise a few months later.
Holdsworth then did some coaching at MK Dons, but turned down the chance to be assistant to Paul Ince.
In the summer of 2008 the new owner of Ilkeston Town, construction tycoon Chek Whyte, brought Holdsworth to the New Manor Ground with a vision for the club within the community.
And their hard work has paid off on the field, with the Robins' almost completely new squad in fifth place in the UniBond Premier Division and through to the second round of the FA Trophy.
