Pool fans vote AGAINST attending Oyston meeting

Blackpool Supporters Trust was among five fan groups offered the chance to hold talks with Oyston in a March 10 meeting arranged by the club’s Community Trust.

After almost two years of fan unrest many have called for the Oystons to meet with fans, with Coun. Tony Williams suggesting a truce in The Gazette.

Three weeks ago the club proposed a meeting involving various supporters’ groups, to be hosted by the Fans Progress Group and the Community Trust’s Reverend Michael Ward.

BST, Pool’s largest fan group with around 2,000 paid-up members, was initially open to the idea and wrote to Rev Ward making some suggestions ahead of a meeting.

BST had requested that all organisations invited to the meeting be allowed to send as many delegates at the club-sanctioned Fans Progress Group. They also suggested an independent mediator for the meeting, not someone linked to the football club, and an independent minute-taker.

BST stated these suggestions were all rejected. They then put the decision to a vote on Monday, with 60 per cent voting against attending the meeting.

It’s believed more than 1,000 fans voted ahead of the 5pm deadline.

Other groups, such as Yorkshire Seasiders and London-based BASIL, said they would follow the lead of BST and so are now unlikely to attend, while Blackpool Supporters Association will meet this week to decide whether it will be represented.

BST now intend to work with Coun Williams to arrange an alternative meeting, to which Karl Oyston would be invited.