Andy, who will remain on the TM board, has now joined another supporters group, the Stags Supporters Association, as co-chairman - and immediately urged more fans to join the SSA and for current members to upgrade their stake.

The decisions were announced as both supporters groups held their annual meetings at Field Mill on Monday evening ahead of a highly successful fans forum.

This saw around 100 fans ask questions of a panel including Stags manager Billy Dearden, captain Jake Buxton, chairman and incoming owner James Derry, and two members of his new executive management team, John Thorpe and Ian Randall.

Andy Saunders, who had been previously been a leading figure in the SSA before joining TM, was recently approached by SSA co-chairman Dean Foulkes to rejoin the organisation.

A statement released by TM on Monday evening added: "Andy felt that he could help in driving the SSA forward into a new era once the sale of MTFC has been completed, so decided to accept Dean's offer.

"Because of the very positive approach that the potential new owners of MTFC are taking towards Stags' supporters, Andy sees this as an opportunity for him to return to the organisation that is his first love and in which he was originally a leading contributor.

"He will help the SSA take advantage of the new opportunities that the fans will have with the new owners of our football club.

"The remaining leadership of TM will, in the meantime, continue to assess how the football club purchase transaction is progressing, protecting the interests of the MTFC shareholding TM members.

"They will wait for further developments before declaring TM's specific strategy."

The statement concluded that TM is, in principle, already 'very supportive of the new leadership regime'.

After Monday's SSA AGM - where it was revealed the group had a turnover of £66k despite the lack of co-operation from current owner Keith Haslam - Andy and Dean told Chad: "This will help us to drive the organisation forward on the back of the new owners and management coming into Field Mill.

"It will allow us to fulfill our remit of being a proper supporters club, raising money for the club knowing it will be spent in the way we want."

The SAA pledged its support to the incoming owners and promised that it 'will get fully behind the football club's new regime'.

The two co-chairman also urged more fans to join the SSA - and for current members to upgrade their membership - and help it to put more money into the Stags.

They said: "We urge all 'blue' members to consider becoming 'amber' members. It costs just £4 a month and with the discounts on season tickets and other benefits, works out at a lot less.

"To all Stags fans who are not part of us, we would say come and join us. Joining the SSA helps your football club."

This season the supporters group is, amongs other help, paying for the Stags' use of training facilities at the John Fretwell Sports Complex at Sookholme.

At the fans forum which followed the AGMs, Stags captain Jake Buxton said: "The facilities there are outstanding . . . thanks to the fans for helping us out."

To join the SSA, click here.

To read the full statement, click here.