Dearden, who correctly predicted promotion within three years during his first stint as manager of the club, told the Stags Supporters Association fans forum on Monday:

"The potential is there now, with new people taking over there may be a bit of money and we will spend it in the right direction

"And hopefully the young lads coming through will be as good as around 2000. I can't say that we will go up in three years again, but I like to think we will be there or thereabouts.

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"We will improve, you can't stay at the bottom. With the help of everyone I firmly believe the club has the potential to go up, if everyone pulls together instead of in different directions.

"And I'd like to think we can keep this current run, three games unbeaten, going. We have had problems at the back this season, but we have now had the same back four for a few games and it helps.

Dearden also answered questions on:

Danny Reet - "He came back very heavy pre-season. The lad has talent and as soon as he loses weight he will be considered for the first team. At Alfreton (where he is in the second month of a three-month loan) he has got down to business and lost some weight. It is upto Danny, he knows the position, I laid it on the line pre-season. He is a likeable lad and we have not had a fall out. He knows if he loses a lot of weight he will be a better player for it. You might see him back here sooner rather than later.

Jon D'Laryea - "I would love to shove him into the 16 on Saturday. It would give him, me and the players a real boost."

Referees - I have a lot of respect for referees and don't fall out with them too often, but they haven't got a lot of marks off me this season. The referee against MK Dons was very poor and I thought the one on Saturday was poor, too. But we have a lot to learn though on our side. We can learn from Rugby league in terms of respect for referees. We have to learn to accept decisions, bite your tongue and get on with it."

Ian Holmes (signed at the start of the season from Matlock) - "He is one for the future. It is a big step from Matlock to Mansfield and he is not quite ready yet, but he is a hard worker and is learning quickly."

Contracts - When it was stated that just one player is on a contract for next season because of the policy of offering just one-year deals, the manager added: "If you include some of the younger players it is three or four players already contracted for next season. It is important from now on that the players we want to keep are sorted as quickly as possible."
Mr Derry added: "It is vitally important that we protect our assets and will be looking with Billy at drawing up a list of formulating deals as quickly as possible."

New players - "We do need a couple of players, hopefully we will get them. I know we are not playing as well as we can do. We want to try to play more football, but when you are down at the bottom players are frightened to do one or two things. I still think we have got more to offer."

Reserve team - "We were unlucky not to into the Pontins League for this season. Players need to play week in week out, but it has been difficult with so many injuries."

Match preparation - "When I came back to the club I said that matches over three hours travel away needed to be overnight stays. James Derry has agreed to that.

Captain Jake Buxton told the forum: "I am honoured to be captain of my local side. Hopefully we have turned the corner, the performances are there now and the lads have got themselves together, dug deep. It has been a team effort from all the staff and players, we have worked hard. But we have got to keep going or the last three games will mean nothing."