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Blackpool Supporters’ Trust Table £16 Million Takeover Bid

Blackpool Supporters’ Trust (BST) launched last year with a clear manifesto: to represent and campaign on issues decided by its members and by extension supporters of Blackpool Football Club. That promise has been backed up today, as they have decided to table an offer for the club on behalf of its fans. Could Tuesday 7th July be marked in the calendar as the day things started looking up for Blackpool fans?

When BST was founded, they pledged to hold to account whoever owned the football club and to bring about supporters representation on the board. The ultimate aim however was for the supporters to own a majority of Blackpool Football Club.  This aim looks a step closer to reality after a bid was delivered to current owner Owen Oyston. The offer comes on the back of serious unrest at the Seaside. Supporters groups (including BST) frequently organise protests against the Oystons and how chairman, Karl Oyston, in particular runs their club.

In a statement to the Blackpool Gazette, Steve Rowland, chairman of BST, said: “BST’s bid to buy Blackpool FC from the Oyston family  is a serious and substantive proposal, which we expect to be taken seriously by the owners. The only serious option to improve the prospects of the club requires the Oystons to relinquish control of, and indeed any association with, Blackpool FC.”

Details were announced at 10:30 this morning. The “serious” offer is worth £16 million. The plan wipes out any outstanding loans and hands back to the Oystons a number of non-football related assets. The loans that would be written off show just how eager supporters are to rid the club of Oyston control. A deadline of July 21st has been set for the owners to respond and fans will wait with baited breath on the outcome.

The likelihood is that the Oystons will use every second of that deadline, as they never seem in to much of a hurry when it comes to football matters. Although the business nature of this offer could prompt a more swift response in this particular deal.

Blackpool Supporters’ Trust also provided fans with a protest shirt earlier this summer. This provides fans an opportunity to wear their teams colours with pride, without further lining the owners’ pockets, something many supporters have vowed never to do again. The organisation’s pro-active initiatives to improve the football club and aid supporters in their quest to get their club back are absolutely superb. Everyone involved in the Trust should be extremely proud of their contribution and I sincerely hope that they are rewarded with the desired outcome.

The bid has received an overwhelmingly positive response from supporters. It clearly shows the level of discontent at the Oyston regime. The constant battle between Blackpool fans and the owners is relentless; it has to come to an end at some point. The damaged relationship is beyond repair and the Oystons should leave now before matters get even worse. One might think things couldn’t get any worse, but this is Blackpool: they always find a way.

No doubt the Blackpool saga will rumble on a little while longer, but supporters can now have renewed hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Should the proposals be accepted, a club run by its fans will always have Blackpool’s best interests at heart and hopefully the good times can return to Bloomfield road sooner rather than later.

 

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