Members of the James Derry consortium were at a fans forum on Thursday to hear chief executive Stephen Booth tell supporters "the consortium is effectively in control of the club".

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But the three members of the group - who will probably be joined by at least one more businessman - at the forum, organised by the Stags Supporters Association (SSA) were unable to go into specifics of the takeover when questioned by supporters.

The trio - James Derry and Mansfield businessmen Steve Hymas and Andy Sutton - have been bound by a confidentiality agreement, insisted upon by Mr Booth at the start of negotiations.

However, it is known that they will buy the club for £1, take it on with a zero bank balance, pay an annual rent to Keith Haslam for using Field Mill and have an option to buy the stadium at an already agreed price.

Mr Hymas told the forum: "We are getting rid of Keith Haslam for the fans. We have signed confidentiality agreements, but in the future we will tell you everything. We would like to tell everyone everything now, but we can't."

Mr Derry added: "Once we have completed the deal we will say what the situation is exactly. We will be transparent and open."

Now the incoming owners, who could be fully in charge by the end of next week, have called on fans and commercial activity to return to Field Mill.

They have also offered fans groups representation on the board in exchange for funding - and the groups may call a public meeting to ask fans to donate money once they have received answers to some questions.

After the fans forum Mr Derry did assure Chad that minority shareholders in MTFC Ltd would be treated fairly and recompensed at a full true value following an independent valuation of Field Mill.

TEAM Mansfield, which as a trust would organise the collection of any money, has asked for Mr Derry and Mr Booth to satisfy its board about the nature of the deal and be open and transparent.

If their questions are answered satisfactorily, an open meeting could be held in Mansfield for all fans when they will be asked to donate money to the trust - leading to supporters buying shares and being given a seat on the board of directors, as confirmed by Mr Derry on Thursday.

TM has also asked for further meetings with Mr Derry and Mr Booth next week to clarify outstanding issues.

Mr Derry added at the forum: "I am not condoning what Keith Haslam has done, but we have got to draw a line under it.

"The reality is that if Keith Haslam wanted to, he could let this club go down to the Conference and even lower down the map so that one day we would be potentially playing matches at somewhere like Glapwell and this site (Field Mill) would be a supermarket.

"We need everyone to get behind us now. We want this to be a community club, we will look at any ideas put forward by the supporters clubs.

"But the important thing now is to get as many people as possible into the ground on Saturday and support the team."

The consortium has yet to decide who will run the club as chief executive once Stephen Booth leaves upon completition of the sale.

But Mr Hymas stressed that the directors would be taking no salary from the club.