No 11882, Tuesday 20 Dec 2016, The Phantom

ACROSS
8   Elite army gathered behind leader of French pedigree (6,4) FAMILY TREE {F}{ELITE+ARMY}*
9   Discomfort for a man catching cold (4) ACHE {A}{C}{HE}
10 Note, thin bloke is sacked for not working (2,3,5) ON THE BLINK {N+THIN+BLOKE}*
11 About to take off robe … (4) CAPE {C}{APE}
12 … licentious girl is rusticated by principal (6) CARNAL CARdiNAL
14 Key often used to open small window (8) SKYLIGHT {KeY} in {SLIGHT}
15 Bob following snow cat around lake (7) FLOUNCE {F}{L}{OUNCE}
17 Tabloid probing information that's delicate (7) FRAGILE {F{RAG}ILE}
20 Bowler injured runs out having bowled maiden earlier (8) SOMBRERO {M}{B} in {SORE}{RO}
22 Mistake to cross over to the other side (6) DEFECT [DD]
24 Destroy rundown houses (4) UNDO [T]
25 Difficult for umpire to keep player in line (10) REFRACTORY {REF}{R{ACTOR}Y}
27 Basic part of home repaired (4) MERE [T]
28 Consumed dairy product with a seasoned meat loaf (10) HEADCHEESE {H{E}AD}{CHEESE} Insertion of E in HAD seems to be an error here See comments

DOWN
1   One occupying leading position becomes conceited (4) VAIN {VA{1}N}
2   Straw for example is thrown oddly away after drink (6) SIPHON {SIP}{tHrOwN}
3   Limbo dancing in sync, not natural for representative (8) SYMBOLIC {LIMBO}* in {SYnC}
4   Time to gather crowds quietly for trek (7) TRAIPSE {T}{RAI{P}SE}
5   Talk periodically in a feeble manner (6) WEAKLY (~weekly)
6   Run feature in periodical that's making progress (8) MARCHING {R}{CHIN} in {MAG}
7   A hip school trained compulsive buyer (10) SHOPAHOLIC*
13 Versatile sportsman’s event introduced each year regularly (3-7) ALL-ROUNDER {ALL}-{ROUND}{yEaR}
16 Continuous shelling on bunker (8) UNBROKEN*
18 One participated in race and ran in joy (8) RADIANCE {1} in {RACE+AND}*
19 Metal spring recoils with force (7) WOLFRAM {FLOW<=}{RAM}
21 They are mostly crude and unsophisticated (6) EARTHY {THEY+ARe}*
23 Priest greatly disturbed by article (6) FATHER {FA{THE}R}
26 Removing top layer of corrosion (4) RUST cRUST

GRID