The married executives of Mansfield Town Football Club experienced a delightfully chaotic moment during a television interview this week, when their domestic life spectacularly collided with professional football discussion. John Radford, 60, and Carolyn Radford, 43, the owner and CEO respectively of the League One side, sat down with Sky Sports to discuss their club's blockbuster FA Cup fifth-round draw against Premier League giants Arsenal.
Dream Draw Meets Domestic Disruption
While speaking from the backdrop of their lavish 10-bedroom mansion, Carolyn was explaining her excitement about the "dream" draw against the Gunners, scheduled for the weekend of March 7, when the interview took an unexpected turn. One of their sons suddenly ran behind the shot, dressed head-to-toe in a full Arsenal kit, prompting both parents to glance left and burst into laughter.
"I think that was one of our boys because actually, they support Arsenal as well!" Carolyn explained with a chuckle, acknowledging the family's divided football loyalties. The interview then cut to Carolyn discussing how the high-profile tie would provide a significant boost to Mansfield's local economy, before further disruption arrived in the form of their pet dog, Casper.
Canine Chaos and Blazer Biting
The family dog entered the frame and began enthusiastically chewing on Carolyn's blazer, causing her to exclaim "ouch" as she tried to continue her point. John quickly jumped in, humorously noting, "She's being attacked by the dog." When John attempted to resume the conversation, Casper interrupted again by jumping on both owners.
"Casper! Casper!" John exclaimed through fits of laughter during the increasingly bungled interview. Carolyn added with good humor, "We're just trying to train him at the moment. As you can see it's not going as well as our football career."
Mansfield's Remarkable Cup Journey
The interview chaos followed Mansfield Town's remarkable achievement in reaching the FA Cup fifth round. Managed by Nigel Clough, the League One club pulled off a shock 2-1 victory over Burnley on Saturday to secure their place in the hat for the next round. This sets up their first meeting with Arsenal since 1929, with the match scheduled to be played at Mansfield's Field Mill stadium.
Under John Radford's ownership since 2010, Mansfield Town has experienced significant success, achieving promotion from the National League in 2013 and from League Two in 2024. John appointed Carolyn as the club's CEO before the couple married in July 2012, and they now share three sons together: Hugo, and twins Rupert and Albert.
Football Family Dynamics and Lavish Lifestyle
The Radfords' family life has occasionally intersected with their football responsibilities in very public ways. Carolyn previously appeared on Channel 5's Billionaire Babies program, where she threw her children a lavish £10,000 circus-themed birthday party inside Mansfield's stadium.
"That party was for a TV show," she told The Sun newspaper. "We were told to create a birthday party and then do all these kind of lavish things and it was set at the football club."
Carolyn also revealed how football results significantly impact family dynamics in their household, sharing with the newspaper in 2024: "It's like being stabbed in the chest when we lose. It's hard to manage that emotion and not blame each other. John blames me and then I blame myself because you have all these weird superstitions."
The couple, who share a reported wealth of £155 million, find that football is one of the few things that causes arguments between them. "The kids hate losing as well," Carolyn added. "It just affects the whole family dynamic."
Business Interests Beyond Football
Beyond their football club ownership, businessman John Radford also owns One Call Insurance, which sponsors Mansfield Town. Carolyn works as a lawyer at the same insurance company, where she had been employed before meeting John. This business connection further intertwines their professional and personal lives, creating a unique family-run football operation with deep community ties.
The upcoming FA Cup clash against Arsenal represents not just a sporting challenge for Mansfield Town, but a moment of national spotlight for a club whose leadership demonstrates that football management can be both a serious business and a wonderfully chaotic family affair.
