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Old Master
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Don't laugh this could happen to your club ....

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Blackpool: A Farce That Is No Longer Funny

Blackpool's eight contracted players may have raised amusement amongst many, but it really isn't funny. A community club is being strangled and suffocated before our eyes...

From Football 365 (UK) Last Updated: 24/07/14 at 09:49

At first it seemed more than mildly amusing. Following the cancellation of their pre-season tour to Spain due to a lack of players, a photograph surfaced of Blackpool's teamsheet for their first match under new manager Jose Riga, a friendly against Penrith. Five of the 11 players were listed only as 'trialist' - the club had little choice. Images of Blackpool's website have also done the rounds, eight first-team players surrounded by advertising in a bid to fill the very evident space, with strategically (and optimistically) placed banners urging supporters to buy the new home shirt. Best to get your own name on the back.

However, when you actually stop and think about it (and I've been as guilty as most), it isn't that funny. Of course there is a sense of the gallows humour so synonymous with long-suffering football supporters, but only Blackpool fans can allow themselves that escapism, relief from the genuine concern about what their social institution has become. The rest of us, powerless as we are, should probably merely be thankful that it isn't our club. This time.

It is just four years since those supporters were preparing for the club's debut Premier League season, quietly optimistic that Ian Holloway could continue his extraordinary ability to make a team far greater than the sum of its parts, and yet now Blackpool sit at their lowest ebb in years, narrowly surviving Championship relegation last season and favourites for the drop in this. Premier League parachute payments are intended to guard against financial heartburn following expensive meals at the top table of English football, but they can do little to account for clusterf**ks entirely of the club's own making. Every Blackpool fan rightly wishes to know why their club is back to a status behind even square one. Perhaps sympathy should replace our amusement.

Ask any supporter in the town centre who is responsible for the club's marked slump, and they will spit out the name of the club's chairman Karl Oyston, possibly with an expletive inserted for added effect. This is their fall guy, the man responsible for extinguishing any hope amongst a group of fans that thoroughly enjoyed the rollercoaster represented by their Premier League season in the sun. Now it is them being taken for the ride.

Karl Oyston is the son of Owen, Blackpool's former owner who saved the club in 1987 when buying it for £1, gaining promotion to the third tier despite the owner's infamously parsimonious nature. In 1996, when Owen was sent to prison for six years after being convicted of rape, his wife Vicki took over the reins before Karl succeeded her in 1999. Promoted to the second tier for the first time in almost 30 years in 2007, Oyston struck gold in May 2009 when he appointed Ian Holloway. Despite a wage budget lower than many others in the Championship, Blackpool were promoted via the playoffs in Holloway's first season. It was an unmitigated triumph.

In a now (in hindsight) unfortunate article in August 2010, the Daily Mail poured praise on Oyston for Blackpool's success, describing how he would sensibly shun the potentially dangerous approach of investing in the playing staff in order to keep Blackpool up, instead 'preferring to invest the money in the infrastructure'. The club's entire playing staff was paid £200,000 a week, the same as Yaya Toure for that same season.

"We can spend every penny we get on transfer fees and salaries and still get relegated, leaving ourselves with a lot of increased costs for the seasons following," Oyston said. "I am absolutely adamant we will not change the approach we have had for the past 11 years."

It seemed to make sense, even following Blackpool's relegation. Clubs of that size can use the engorged coffers gained from television revenue to build a legacy for the future, the playing staff and infrastructure bolstered in order to assist a further assault on top flight football with a greater hope of consolidation second time around.

At Blackpool, however, nothing could be further from the truth. The facilities at the training ground remain among the worst in the Football League, reminiscent more of Sunday League than Premier League, whilst only £750,000 was spent on players in the season following relegation, despite £8.2million being recouped in sales. The chance for legacy had been lost, summed up by former player Keith Southern:

"When we were relegated, that should have been the start of it, not the end," the 33-year-old said. "There should be a legacy the club can look back on and in 10 or 15 years say, 'we got relegated but this is what happened, this is what we built from that day'. Unfortunately it didn't happen and it doesn't look like it ever will. Neither the foundations or the infrastructure is in place and it breaks my heart."

At the end of last season, things seemed to have reached a nadir. Temporary manager Barry Ferguson, who had kept the club in the Championship despite a worrying late-season decline, was informed that his contract would not be made permanent, and 17 players were released, leaving the club with just five professionals on the playing staff. Ferguson was adamant at what needed to happen for the club to progress. "It's a great club, with a terrific stadium and superb fans. What it needs now is investment, that's why the supporters have a problem with the chairman. There are only five players contracted for next season."

Club secretary Matt Williams, for so long credited by those close to the club as the man responsible for ensuring that Blackpool achieved anything at all of positive note, left to join Shrewsbury Town after seemingly accepting that his was a thankless task.

Options to extend the contracts of nine of the out-of-contract players were not taken by the appropriate deadline, but Oyston remained unconcerned. "I see it as a benefit. It allows the manager to bring in his own team, as opposed to picking up a squad that is already overloaded and he doesn't think is good enough." There are limits to that approach, Karl.

When Belgian Jose Riga was finally appointed after 141 days without a permanent manager, supporters hoped there was light at the end of the tunnel, with even Oyston himself making positive noises over the development of the club. "I think there's a different culture from European managers which clubs over here need to buy into," Oyston said. "Right from the top to bottom of our club, it's time we caught up and I hope Jose can assist this. It's a fresh approach and we'll start to really get our enthusiasm back, which is important throughout the club."

And yet here they stand, with Ishmael Miller becoming just the ninth member of the playing squad (and even his transfer now potentially in doubt), 43 days following Riga's appointment and just 23 before Blackpool's first league match of the season away at Nottingham Forest. Even at a time of great urgency it appears that Oyston has continued to dig his heels in, chairman and new manager reportedly at loggerheads over the former's refusal to sanction the latter's transfer targets. Riga's preferred staff have still not signed permanent deals to join the club, and there are growing rumours that the Belgian may quit his post in protest against the lack of assistance from the club.

"The squad is not just thin, it is almost non-existent," chairman of the Supporters' Association Glenn Bowley told the Blackpool Gazette. "We only have eight players five weeks before the start of the season. It is a complete and utter shambles - that's how it seems."

The obvious accusation of Oyston is that a stingy and tightfisted nature is responsible for Blackpool's steady decline, and such a view is backed up by a recent tweet from released striker Michael Chopra. 'Wash your own kit clean your own boots and even bring your own water to training can only happen at Blackpool,' said Chopra. It might read as sour grapes from a pampered star, but in reality potential signings will expect a degree of professionalism on the part of their club. It doesn't reflect well.

Even Oyston himself admits to a frugal nature. "No-one will ever convince me money is the relevant issue here," he said in April. "I'll never be convinced otherwise but that's the thing which is always thrown at us when things are going badly. We don't want things to be as bad as this again." To repeat, they have just nine players.

Is Oyston blind to the wants and needs of his club, its supporters and the local community? This is a football club, a social institution, strangled by a lack of investment just three years after a financial deluge courtesy of the Premier League, infrastructure left lagging behind all of their peers. What should resonate amongst fans of those reading this is just how easily your club could do the same, the power held by one and the love by many. It could be you.

Whatever happens between now and August 9th, it would seem that the damage has been done. The Championship is a gruelling campaign, and pre-season is the only time at which managers can fully assess their squad and coaches can ensure all are in prime fitness. Blackpool are the overwhelming favourites to be relegated from the Championship.

As is sadly so often the case, the only silver lining to the clouds looming over Bloomfield Road comes from the supporters themselves, the response to being downtrodden to vow to respond with strength. A week ago, 500 supporters met at the inaugural meeting of the Blackpool Supporters Trust at the One Club on Bloomfield Road, chants of "Oyston Out" ringing around the venue. They have vowed that they will no longer allow their club to be a laughing stock, and wish to ensure fan representation at boardroom level to ensure the needs of the community are met.

You can dismantle their club. You can leave the playing staff as a mere shell. You can even ruin any dreams or excitement for the new season. But you will never take away the love that supporters and a community have for their club. From the depths of embarrassment and despair, hope will be reignited. No matter how few players are displayed on the Blackpool FC website.

Daniel Storey - Follow him on Twitter
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Re: Don't laugh this could happen to your club ....

Post by wizard »

There should be more transparency when it comes to how clubs spend their parachute money.

The thought of it going into some dodgy chairmans back pocket is pretty sad.

It shouldn't be seen as 'free' money from the FA to the relegated clubs.

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wizard wrote:There should be more transparency when it comes to how clubs spend their parachute money.

The thought of it going into some dodgy chairmans back pocket is pretty sad.

It shouldn't be seen as 'free' money from the FA to the relegated clubs.

That is what the supporter's group are complaining to the FA about - to no avail as yet. :oops:
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From the local paper 'The Gazette'

Belokon tells Oystons: ‘It’s Time to put football first’


Published 24/07/2014 23:49

Valeri Belokon has blasted Karl and Owen Oyston over the way they run Blackpool FC – demanding instant investment in the squad.

In a no-holds-barred letter to Pool’s chairman and owner the Latvian accused the pair of failing the supporters by putting financial gain ahead of footballing matters.

He slammed the Oystons for the millions paid out to their associated companies – without, he says, his “approval” – while at the same time the club’s Premier League team had been “dismantled” with “our beloved club nearly being relegated from the Championship.”

Belokon, who pumped £1.8m into the club back in 2006 – in return for 20 per cent shares – then added: “Now it’s time to pay back what you have taken and finally ‘Put Football First’.”

Belokon, 54, has taken a back seat since the club were relegated from the Premier League in 2011, but has now sensationally broke his public silence, citing ‘growing concerns over the current situation’ as his motivation.

The club currently has just eight registered players with just two weeks until the start of the season, in a summer in which there has been a stand off between new manager Jose Riga and Karl Oyston while fans stepped up their calls for the Oystons to sell up.

Beolokon’s letter read: “I am alarmed to see that only two weeks before the start of the season we are in the unacceptable position of only having eight registered players and little sign of the Premiership parachute payments being spent where they should be, on the team, the stadium and training ground.

“At the same time we have seen the squad Ian Holloway put together with my assistance, and which richly entertained all true football fans, dismantled with our beloved club nearly being relegated from The Championship last season.”
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wizard wrote:There should be more transparency when it comes to how clubs spend their parachute money.

The thought of it going into some dodgy chairmans back pocket is pretty sad.

It shouldn't be seen as 'free' money from the FA to the relegated clubs.

So, if a chairman's family invest their own money (£1) into the club, which is a business after all, are they not entitled to take the profits if they so choose? :wink:
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Post by God is an Englishman »

Too many clubs enjoying the high points but going tits up chasing the dream.

modern football is for champagne
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Nice One Cyril wrote:
wizard wrote:There should be more transparency when it comes to how clubs spend their parachute money.

The thought of it going into some dodgy chairmans back pocket is pretty sad.

It shouldn't be seen as 'free' money from the FA to the relegated clubs.

So, if a chairman's family invest their own money (£1) into the club, which is a business after all, are they not entitled to take the profits if they so choose? :wink:
I agree. Its business first of course. I feel things like this need to happen to wake all FAs up to the need for fan involvement in club operations.
As I said before if FA's are non-for-profit organisations then surely they could set up trust funds for fan groups to invest into and then secure stakes in their clubs. Offering clubs far more stability and encourage more long term strategies.

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Stuckey wrote:
Nice One Cyril wrote:
wizard wrote:There should be more transparency when it comes to how clubs spend their parachute money.

The thought of it going into some dodgy chairmans back pocket is pretty sad.

It shouldn't be seen as 'free' money from the FA to the relegated clubs.

So, if a chairman's family invest their own money (£1) into the club, which is a business after all, are they not entitled to take the profits if they so choose? :wink:
I agree. Its business first of course. I feel things like this need to happen to wake all FAs up to the need for fan involvement in club operations.
As I said before if FA's are non-for-profit organisations then surely they could set up trust funds for fan groups to invest into and then secure stakes in their clubs. Offering clubs far more stability and encourage more long term strategies.

Good idea Stuckey but it wouldn't get support from the leagues or the governing bodies due to their greed.

In the case of Blackpool the Chairman has used the parachute money to create dummy copmpanies which he uses to cover his losses in other businesses and has used very little for the benefit of the club - over $120 million to date.

The club has the worst training ground in the entire football league structure - a tiny sparsley grassed pitch laid on sand with no facilities other than a 'builders bog' and a rusty old cyclone fence around it - they have to travel back to the club for a shower after training.

Sometimes they have to clean up the dog turds before they can train on it as the fence is full of holes.

But the Chairman/owner built a new hotel and function centre adjacent to the home ground in his companies' name not the club's.

They even have to wash their own training gear1
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I can see the club owners wanting to block it. But surely countries can look at how the Bundesliga is structured to see it has huge benefits.

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It's a very nice stadium

It's a dream come true


Who does he think he's signed for?
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God is an Englishman wrote:It's a very nice stadium

It's a dream come true


Who does he think he's signed for?

Wait 'til he sees the training ground - he'll be on the first plane out of Blackpool.
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Latest News

Blackpool 0-1 Burnley: Hosts feature nine trialists in squad

Blackpool needed nine trialists to complete their matchday squad as they lost 1-0 to Premier League new boys Burnley at Bloomfield Road.

The club had a squad of just eight before five additions this week but chairman Karl Oyston says they will soon have "as many players as everyone else".

Two trialists started the match with the rest on the bench.

Striker Marvin Sordell's sweetly-struck second-half effort settled the match.

New signings Donervon Daniels and Nathan Delfouneso started for Blackpool in the game which saw protests against Oyston.

There was no message from Blackpool manager Jose Riga in the matchday programme, while he declined to do media duties after the game.
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William Watt william.watt@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
Published on the 05 August 2014

Blackpool have finally solves their goalkeeping crisis with the signing of Joe Lewis.

The former England U21 international arrives at Bloomfield Road on a season long loan with the option to sign on a full-time basis next summer.

Lewis, 26, made his name at Peterborough before moving to Cardiff City in May 2012.

Stuck behind regular keeper David Marshall, Lewis has seen his chances limited to five games, including one against Hull in the Premier League last season.

He goes straight into the side to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
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by William Watt william.watt@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
Published on the 05 August 2014

Blackpool are planning a swoop for Everton midfielder John Lundstram and hope to follow it up by finally signing striker Ishmael Miller.

Manager Jose Riga is working around the clock to add to his squad in time for Saturday’s Championship kick-off at Nottingham Forest.

Following the arrival of Spanish defender Joan Oriol, Lundstrum would become Pool’s 16th player if he finalises a six-month loan deal.

The 20-year-old, who captained Seasiders coach Noel Blake’s England U19 side, scored Yeovil’s winner against Pool last December before a further loan deal took him to Leyton Orient, for whom he played in the League One Play-off final defeat against Rotherham.

Liverpool-born Lundstram has featured in Everton’s pre-season campaign, starting against Tranmere a fortnight ago, but manager Roberto Martinez wants him to go out on loan and gain Championship experience.

Pool have again moved for 27-year-old Miller, who is due to have a medical this afternoon.

A deal with the former Manchester City and Nottingham Forest frontman looked to have collapsed but he was back at Bloomfield Road yesterday.
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by William Watt william.watt@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
Published on the 14 August 2014

Jose Riga has called upon Karl Oyston to do his job and help him to drag Blackpool out of their current mess.

The Seasiders have endured a torrid start to their campaign, losing both matches following a shambolic pre-season.

They have been unable to fill their substitutes’ bench for either game, with those in the starting 11 looking totally under-prepared.

Writing in Tuesday’s Gazette, chairman Oyston blamed the situation on Riga “spending too much time chasing unrealistic targets”.

Now the Belgian has hit back, telling The Gazette: “I have responsibilities as manager and I hope other people at the club will do theirs.

“I’m busy with training at the moment and I leave all the negotiations to other people. I’ve been doing my job and now I expect them to do the same.

“How long will it take for me to get this team ready? I don’t know. I know it could take time. We need to be realistic and see the position we are in.”

Pool spent the first month of pre-season with no more than eight senior players in training. They cancelled their tour of Spain and played only two friendlies before the big kick-off at Nottingham Forest last Saturday.

And boss Riga pulled no punches when explaining Pool’s poor start.

He added: “Our reality is we have gone into the season without any preparation whatsoever. Before thinking about the tactics, the first thing we need as professionals is to be sure that each player is physically at his best.

“We are just trying to do what we can but every other team started six or seven weeks ago,and they did so for a reason.

“We didn’t. Maybe we needed that defeat on Tuesday (at League Two Shrewsbury in the Capital One Cup) to show the reality of where we are. You can sometimes win games based on skill or team spirit but you need to be in shape.

“It’s not just players, though. We need help with things like bringing in fitness staff to help us prepare properly. We have so much work to do here and I need help.”

Riga takes charge of his first competitive game at Bloomfield Road on Saturday against Blackburn.

It’s another quick turnaround and Riga says he again finds himself patching together a side. “We just have to keep looking for solutions, and our solution is everyone getting closer to being ready,” he said.

“I want a better future and hopefully that isn’t too far away. I’ll just keep trying to do my job the best I can, but it’s not easy at the moment.”
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