19th December 2006 – Stags owner Keith Haslam insists Mansfield Town FC is for sale – after months of uncertainty following bids for the club from supporters group TEAM Mansfield and sponsor Andy Perry - with local radio station 103.2 an immediately interested party.

20th January 2007 – James Derry installed as chairman, after the short and unsuccessful reign of Peter Lee. He says he has no interest in buying the club at the moment.

14th May – Chad exclusively reveals the Australian interest in taking over at Field Mill.

21st May – Mr Derry confirms the Australian bid, but says it is below Mr Haslam's valuation.

12th June – Chad Comment says 'there has to be new owners' as AGM reveals £250,000 losses in the two financial years 2004-2006.

29th July – Mr Derry goes public with launching his own bid, appealing for businessmen to join his consortium.

1st August – Chad names the heads of the Australian bid, Steve Dolheguy and Gary Wall, who say they have not given up hope.

9th August – Mr Derry places his bid.

6th September – A second local consortium enters race.

26th September – The second consortium cools its interest, but the Australians remain interested.

29th September – Mr Derry says: "We have pretty much agreed a deal."

3rd October – Chad Front Page calls on Mr Haslam to sell.

5th October – Mansfield Town FC announce on their official website that a deal for the football club has been agreed between the James Derry consortium and Keith Haslam.

17th October – Chad unveils the plans of two members of the Derry consortium – John Thorpe and Ian Randall – which include developing the commercial side at Field Mill, expanding unused areas under the West Stand and flattening the Bishop Street Stand.

24th October – The Football League insist that the Derry consortium take over the existing football club, not form their own company, to run the footballing 'franchise'.

29th October –Thorpe, Randall and Derry are all welcomed at the Stags Supporters Association's fans forum.

19th November – The Derry consortium completes its due diligence of MTFC and submits a 'final and revised offer' – Known to be reduced from the original deal after it discovers a worse financial state at the club than first thought.

20th November – Haslam, still considering the offer, tells Chad exclusively 'I am very interested in selling . . . I don't want to be here'.

21st November – Chad reveals that fans website MyFootballClub, which had just bought non league club Ebbsfleet, did show an interest in taking over the Stags.

27th November – MP Alan Meale and manager Billy Dearden both voice their fears over the sale delay.

28th November – After a flurry of exchanges between Derry and Haslam during the afternoon and evening, Derry sets a noon deadline of the following morning for Haslam to make a decision.

29th November – Haslam rejects the consortium's offer saying 'I cannot respond to an offer that is not in writing and clear in its terms'.

1st December – Haslam says he will not discuss the offer further unless there is a 'fundamental change'.

3rd December – Derry, who accepts there will be no meeting 'unless we improve our offer', says he will stay at Field Mill as non executive chairman to try to thrash out a takeover deal.

4th December – In a totally unexpected move, Haslam steps down from all day-to-day involvement and brings in Stephen Booth as his chief executive replacement. He is charged with stablising the club's finances this season – the club is reported to be on course to lose £500,000 this season - and finding a buyer.

19th December – A new Stags supporters' group is formed, asking fans to put in £1,000 each to fund a buyout.

9th January – Chad reveals that the Australians – led by Steve Dolheguy – are still very keen on buying the Stags, have linked up with a group of local businessmen and plan to fly to the UK in January. But Chad also reveals that there at least three other groups showing an interest in the club.

16th January – It is the end of the road for new fans' group MTFT and its bid to buy the Stags as the group folds after a lack of support from supporters.

23rd January – Chief executive Stephen Booth says he expects a sale by the spring, but promises 'no negotiations will be made public until I am satisfied an agreement between the two parties can be fulfilled."

30th January – Chad makes public for the first time the news that two firm bids have been made for the Stags in recent days.

6th February – Chad is again first with the news that Mr Booth says there are two more expressions of interest in buying the Stags from new groups.

13th February – Mr Booth says there has been another new interest, but adds that the completion of a sale is getting closer.

20th February - Chad reveals that a group of American businessmen are putting together a bid for the club - but that a sale agreement with current bidders may be just a few days away.

22nd February - Chad reveals that a spoof village newsletter is distributed to people in Mr Haslam's home village, Calver, as fans step up the pressure on the owner to sell.

27th February - Chad is also first to report that the anti-Haslam factor is so great for one fan that he is travelling from Australia to watch the Stags - but will boycott home matches.

29th February - Chad understands that a takeover deal involving a joint bid by the Derry and Aussie consortia falls through at the last hour after the Australians pull out.

1st March - The takeover hitch is confirmed by Stags chief executive Stephen Booth.

8th March - James Derry hints at good news on the takeover during the press conference to announce the departure of manager Billy Dearden.

10th March - Chief executive Stephen Booth says the potential new owners would be consulted over the appointment of the new manager.


11th March -Chad tracks down two groups in talks to buy the club

13th March - A second Derry consortium takeover deal fails at the last minute when a new backer, to replace the Australians, also pulls out. Now James Derry and his partner Steve Hymas go public for the first time, appealing for new backers.

16th March - James Derry reports that he has had a good response to his appeal, including from fans groups who want to get involved in his buyout.

18th March - James Derry says his appeal has produced at least one concrete new investor to join his consortium.

19th March - Chad believs the takeover is close with James Derry confident he now has two new investors to join his consortium and put up an initial minimum £0.5 working capital investment.

20th March - At a fans forum in the evening the club says the Derry consortium is now in 'effective control' - and businessman Andy Sutton is unveiled as a third member of the consortium.

21st March - Flamboyant businessman John Batchelor, a former owner of York City, is revealed as the fourth member of the Derry consortium

26th March - John Batchelor says he is willing to launch a solo bid for the Stags if the Derry takeover stalls.

26th March - Later in the day Batchelor holds secret sole takeover talks with Haslam and Booth - and is immediately dumped by the Derry consortium. Both parties are set to meet Haslam again 24 hours later.

27th March - Batchelor offers the players a bonus if they avoid relegation - if he takes control of the club. At the same time Steve Hymas meets Stephen Booth to press the case for the Derry consortium.

27th March - Later on in the day Batchelor admits to Chad that he has asset-stripped companies.

27th March - Even later in the day Chad reveals that the Derry consortium is no longer in the race to buy the club.

28th March - On an even more dramatic day surrounding the club, Chad.co.uk is first with the news as we reveal Batchelor's plans to rename Mansfield Town as Harchester United, a fictional team in a TV soap opera, and then James Derry resigns from the Stags.

30th March - John Batchelor presses for a quick takeover and says he would mortgage the club to buy the ground.

1st April - Stags owner Keith Haslam says Batchelor's bid is the only one on the table - though chief executive Stephen Booth appears to disagree!.

2nd April - Could Mansfield District Council get involved in the takeover saga. Mayor Tony Egginton, new Stags chairman, hints at a possible involvement.

3rd April - Batchelor says he would issue shares for fans to buy, if successful in his takeover.

4th April - Stags owner Keith Haslam and John Batchelor are to meet on Monday, says Batchelor, for takeover talks.

5th April - Batchelor has to pay to get into Field Mill.

8th April - Chad reveals Haslam wants buyers to write-off his £0.5m loan.

9th April - Takeover farce during radio phone-in with claims over takeover meetings and threats to resign by Stephen Booth.

10th April - Chad asks the question are we close to a takeover? after a photograph fromn the match at Stockport shows both Keith Haslam and John Batchelor in the directors' area, but sat well apart.

12th April -
Batchelor had to be escorted out of the Stags' supporters end behind the goal for his own safety during the first half of the goalless draw at Macclesfield.

14th April - Colin Hancock, a former Aldershot FC chairman and now chairman of local non league side Glapwell, named for the first time as a potential buyer, though he has been in talks since late February Chad reveals.

14th April - Haslam says there will be no more takeover negotiations until the end of the season.

18th April - The club says Batchelor is not welcome as a guest at Field Mill and the safety officer says he cannot guarantee his safety among the fans at Field Mill, so the club issues a ban for matchdays.

19th April - Batchelor turned away from Field Mill by stewards and police after the previous day's ban. he still tried to gain entry to the ground.

21st April - Derry says his consortium is still strongly interested in a takeover deal.

29th April - On the night the Stags relegation to non league is confirmed, Batchelor says he expects to complete a takeover deal within days.

Tuesday 6th May - Chad reports that Haslam has at least 5 takeover options to consider.

Thursday 8th May - Chad reveals that a takeover meeting is planned for the next day between one of the prospective buyers and Keith Haslam, while chief executive Booth says on national radio that a sale decision is imminent.

Friday 9th May - The club confirms the Friday takeover meeting and says a buyout proposal was well received and a decision is expected within 72 hours.

Tuesday 13th May - Speculation grows that a takeover could be completed within days after Haslam is seen in talks with Batchelor.

Monday 19th May - With the supporters restless after a week of 'no comment' from the club, chairman and mayor Tony Egginton says he remains hopeful of a positive takeover outcome.

Thursday 29th May - Rumours abound that one of Keith Haslam's takeover options is to close the club.

Monday 2nd June - After weeks of silence, Stephen Booth tells a Stags Fans United public mdeting that a takeover is 'close' - a statement backed up by Tony Egginton.

Wednesday 11th June - Rumours persist that Colin Hancock is due to complete his takeover within two weeks.

Thursday 12th June - The buyout speculation continues.

Sunday 22nd June - It is revealed that Dr Colin Hancock and Keith Haslam have agreed a takeover deal.

Monday 23rd June - The club confirms the Hanock deal, but says it has still to be signed.

Sunday 29th June - Speculation mounts that the end of the Stags financial year this week could finally bring a sale.

Monday 30th June - All parties in the Hancock takeover remain silent after a day of talks - but Chad reports that a takeover remains imminent.

Thursday 3rd July - Chad reveals that a sale is finally expected today, but to whom?

Thursday 3rd July - The sale is revealed first at Chad.co.uk and on 103.2.