Blessed with an unpopular chairman, Colin Dobell writes on how a group of fans were encouraged to formulate a plan to make Mansfield their own once more

The story of Mansfield Town’s decline is a familiar one of dubious financial dealings, serially broken promises and a wanton lack of investment. However, it may not have a conventional ending if the efforts of a group of fans achieves its goal of ousting the current chairman Keith Haslam. Unlike other such campaigns, they also have concrete ideas about how to go about replacing him effectively.

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Huge debt, daily losses and a bankrupt chairman – Dominic Fifield recounts the sorry saga at Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace, founder members of the Premier League which they left just two years ago, have now been perched on the brink of oblivion for nearly a year. Over £20 million in debt and losing £40,000 every week, south London’s perennial under-achievers have been brought to their knees by gross financial mis­management.

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Despite overseeing some of the finest young talent in York City's history, Douglas Craig is not the most popular man in town. Tony Eves explains why

Distinguishing features A magistrate with an MBE, also the proud owner of a light-brown anorak which he elegantly models in directors’ boxes on matchdays (an idea that could almost have come from Jürgen Klinsmann and his insistence on driving a VW Beetle in this era of Ferraris). Active and vocal disliker of fancy dan wingers/fans/chairmen.

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After much publicity, the Football Task Force released its final report. Roger Titford finds out if it will make any difference to English football and its fans

The final report from the Football Task Force appeared just before Christmas. If it were a match it would be a 0-0 stalemate and a sadly predictable one too. This was a big opportunity for fans and authorities to move closer together. In the event, each side issued sep­arate and contradictory reports on how the game should, or should not, be regulated and passed the buck to Kate Hoey, the sports min­ister, who now has the tough choice of being radical or practical.

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Having guided Pachuca to their first Mexican title, Javier Aguirre is affecting the world of politics as well. Simeon Tegel reports

In a sport where most professionals have no interest in politics or come from the Alf Gar­nett school of social justice, Javier Aguirre stands out. After coaching Mexico’s oldest club, Pachuca, to its first league title in December, the former international lost no time in reminding the country of his leftwing views.

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