Blackpool are planning.....

[Green Cross Code Man]

[MENTION=30854]OfficialKnights[/MENTION], thanks for that lengthy post. We as Brighton fans know how bad things can get, but also know that the struggle is worth it. I can't understand why the money awarded as parachute payments etc cannot be ring-fenced with the stipulation that it goes INTO the clubs coffers for football related matters, and not abused in this disgusting way.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Build a bonfire, build a bonfire
Put Karl Oyston on the top
Put his old man in the middle
And...........

 

[JOLovegrove]

Very interesting post. Really does sound like a difficult time at Bloomfield Road at the moment. Good luck with getting him out of the club. As much as most of us dislike Hollaway, what he did with getting you promoted was impressive and was good to see a 'smaller' club in the top flight. I can't see you not going down this season, but would hate to see you plummet through the leagues.

 

[OfficialKnights]

hi there again, just so you can see the depths to which the Oystons are stooping this club statement was posted within the last hour.........

www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-2237743.aspx?

On the eve of the 'StandOut' protest as you can imagine this has already angered many fans.... Most of us are aware of the comments made by the fan they are talking about, and some of his comments were very unpleasant. However, by comaprison the words and actions of Karl Oyston and to some extent one of his sons, Sam are equally appalling.

 

[TangerineArmy]

Knights what is also worth pointing out is that our chairman posting many times on our forum, winding up the fans.

But it shows how sad that are as if I had there money I wouldn't care less what is posted on the MB, I certainly wouldn't trawl them. Sad

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Knights what is also worth pointing out is that our chairman posting many times on our forum, winding up the fans.

But it shows how sad that are as if I had there money I wouldn't care less what is posted on the MB, I certainly wouldn't trawl them. Sad

Knights did post that. He said the dark lord was oyston.

 

[surlyseagull]

Jeez this guy certainly likes to air his dirty washing in public ...

 

[Mr Putdown]

And anyhow. It has nothing to do with us. We don't know all of the circumstances and to top all that, why should we care

With that attitude Fans United would have been an utter disaster...

Thank heaven that there are football fans who think beyond their own team.

 

[TangerineArmy]

Knights did post that. He said the dark lord was oyston.

Oh ok code man, never saw that... although I'm so ****ing angry now. The demo will achieve nothing tomoz and if anything he will laugh about it, I honestly believe unless we do a break away we will be Hereford part 2. The only positive its saved me a fortune... biggest negative.... I no longer hear by 4yr old singing 'seaside.... barmy army'

Have a save trip boys and all the best

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Hi there, Blackpool fan and one of the "Tangerine Knights" protest group.

Just wanted to comment if that is ok!

The background to the events at Bloomfield Road would fill a book as long as 'War And Peace' and much of it is quite unbelievable, so there is little point in my trying to provide all the proof about the Oyston family and their treatment of our club. However, each day seems to bring something new, more and more surreal and soul destroying for fans. Just as one small example of that this week one lifetime fan, a family man, has taken the step of packaging up his families three season tickets, his replica BFC shirt, wrapped them in tangerine and returned them to the club, addressed to Chairman Karl Oyston. He accepts that it is probably a futile gesture but it is one of many, many examples of just how much supporters cannot take what the Oyston family are doing to our club.

The club has one official supporters club, Blackpool Supporters Association (BSA) which Karl Oyston will talk to, and only talk to. He will not talk to any other fans group. A while ago a group of fans established Blackpool Supporters Trust (BST) as an independent fans group. Although Karl stated he would not talk to them and totally dismissed them as an irrelevancy, they quickly grew to be the largest fan group. At one early meeting he turned up with the then chairman of BSA, sat there laughing, sneering and strangely constantly typing into his phone. At the same time, a poster (The Dark Lord - TDL) was posting on one of the main message boards, AVFTT, (Another View From The Tower) on fansonline laughing about the meeting, mocking it, mocking those in attendance. TDL had always been suspected to be Karl Oyston and at times one of his sons Sam (general manager of the clubs hotel despite having no experience in that field and who also spends much of his spare time winding up Blackpool fans) or one of their friends. TDL would at times post reasonably but would also often taunt fans.

A couple of months ago during textgate one of the texts from his phone confirmed that he had indeed been TDL together with others....

Throughout 2014 there has been regular protests and demonstrations including the "tennis balls protest" when the home game against Burnley last season was halted and also three fans invaded the pitch with Oyston Out resulting in Sky Sports commentators stating that the atmosphere was toxic and going too far; protests during the game against Derby County when fans tried to get to the Directors Box, after which Derby fans joined us to protest and so on. The Tangerine Knights came about during 2014 as a group of fans who have simply had enough and with one sole aim a change of ownership. We have staged additional protests, some of which have made national and interntional media including the human Oyston Out flash mob at the Comedy Carpet opposite Blackpool Tower - a comedy carpet for a comedy club. The 1953 protest, a nod to the clubs FA Cup win in 1953, in the live home game against Cardiff City on Sky Sports and we also released two batches of texts that became "textgate" between Karl Oyston and three fans. Just to give you an example of how much hatred and disconnect there is between fans and the Oystons, during that Cardiff game the vast majority of chants were calling for the Oystons to go... And the more volatile, younger fans then and now have the highly toxic chant simply calling for Oyston to die... Not the most palatable of chants by any means but it shows the sheer hatred that most fans have toward the family.

Although Karl Oyston claims that he was only replying to fan abuse, all those texts clearly show that for the most part those fans were simply asking perfectly reasonable questions, with no insults or swearing. yet his responses included some appalling insults and derogatory comments which brought condemnation from the mental health charity MIND, both local MP's, the local newspaper (often derided on the Fylde coast for never criticising the club) took the step of removing Karl Oyston from his weekly column and demanded that he explained himself and even Wonga, described by Patrick Collins in the Daily Mail as legalised loan sharks, even criticised him - and this week they withdrew their sponsorship of the club. Karl Oyston also claimed in some texts that he was on a revenge mission with "Operation Conference" well on track (to get the club relegated to the Conference).. Whether or not he was being serious is not the point, he still has said the most appalling things.... It is little wonder that some more volatile fans have gone to extremes, because they have simply had enough.

The Oystons are also taking legal action against a number of fans for daring to criticise them....

Support has also come from numerous other clubs fans including but not exclusively, Burnley, Cardiff City and Rotherham United. The Tangerine Knights also supported Leeds United fans when they protested at the Football League HQ in Preston recently and the two sets of fans joined together.

We have a number of initiatives and investigations ongoing, and have been in touch with minority owner, Latvian businessman Valeri Belokon, who has himself been highly critical of the Oystons (and without whose input we would never have reached the Premier League) calling on fans to ask for the resignation of Karl Oyston and who has stated his wish to buy the club.

The list of those who have condemned Karl Oyston and the Oyston family is long but it includes Mat Le Tissier, Stan Collymore, Colin Murray at talkSPORT, Patrick Collins, Graeme Le Saux and so on and so on. Former Pool player Keith Southern stated back in August how it breaks his heart to see the club in such a mess.

Just as one small example of how the Oyston families priorities lie well away from football - the clubs training ground at Squires Gate remains virtually the same as it was when Sir Stanley Matthews played for us. Little has been done to the facilities which Ian Holloway and numerous other managers have stated are not even fit for purpose. They are quite simply appalling and players have even stated how roofs leak in the couple or ramshackle buildings with buckets to collect the rain water. The sign at the entrance which has been there for years reads Blackpool FC ...... "Centre of ExcellAnce".......... Yet last year the Oystons paid £2.5m for the beautiful Quernmore Park Hall which they are converting to a wedding and events venue whilst much of the money that the club earned from that one glorious season in the Premier League has ended up in the multitude of Oyston family companies (at least 20 registered at the stadium and others), most of which are loss making, yet money intended for the benefit of the club has been filtered through these companies. All whilst Karl and his father Owen claim that the club is cash rich... And yet they run it as if it is in administration.

Just to get back to tomorrow and your visit --- the Tangerine Knights (TK) have always encouraged fans to do what they can, and we have actually moved on to phase two, mostly away from match day protests. And so the protest the 'Stand Out' protest has actually been organised by one single fan who has worked hard over the last weeks to garner support on social media and the local press. That would also be one of the reasons why Brighton fans were not contacted about the protest, because it was just one fan, who has admitted that he has never organised anything before, but he needed to do something. And of course we would also not expect you to come all this way up north and then not attend the game.....

However, given that the protest begins at 2:30pm if any Brighton fans would care to stand with us even for 10 minutes that would be very welcome. The local newspaper and the BBC have expressed interest in the protest. TK have tried before now to get banners into the away end - Rotherham and Burnley in particular tried but had banners removed..... The protest will be outside the West stand opposite the reception and we hope to see some of you there if you can. We are fully aware too of the struggle you had as a club and the remarkable turnaround now. And of course football without fans is nothing.... That is where Blackpool FC, or more appropriately, Oyston FC is currently headed.

For any of you who wish to see, the TK page is here - www.facebook.com/tangerineknightssupport

Have safe journey and also be aware that the main route into Blackpool and the stadium, Yeadon Way, which leads onto Seasiders Way, is currently closed for repairs. Diversions are in place.

Good luck with all of this.

Unfortunately your troubles seemed to have slipped the media spotlight. Ours largely did too until we invaded the pitch and broke the crossbar. At the time lots of our supporters were upset at the time, but in hindsight it was undoubtably the right thing to do.

Oh, and get hold of a copy of Build a Bonfire.

All the best, save for tomorrow.

 

[brightn'ove]

Wow, this all hits very close to home. I really hope it doesn't go the same way, although once they have taken every penny they can from Blackpool through other sources what will they have left to sell but your ground? Wish I could be there to support your protests, best of luck to you.

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

All sounds too familiar - Deja Vu - Good luck pool - get yourselves organised and you will do it

 

[Braders]

See you outside at 2.30. Best of luck getting rid of the Oystons.

Seconded

 

[OfficialKnights]

Good luck with all of this.

Unfortunately your troubles seemed to have slipped the media spotlight. Ours largely did too until we invaded the pitch and broke the crossbar. At the time lots of our supporters were upset at the time, but in hindsight it was undoubtably the right thing to do.

Oh, and get hold of a copy of Build a Bonfire.

All the best, save for tomorrow.

Aye one of our aims in TK is to highlight the crisis to the wider public. We have achieved it to a certain extent too with the Daily Mail regularly now reporting, Channel 4 doing an investigative report, Patrick Collins, also in the Daily Mail, writing a scathing article about the Oystons and in one national newspaper (can't remember which now) they named Karl Oyston as the worst chairman/owner in the Football League. Oh and the Daily Mail were banned from the press area at Bloomfield Road too.....

Whilst of course our focus is on our own plight, we also realise that there is a bigger picture in all of this. Not the least of which is the Premier League parachute payments and how they are used by the clubs concerned. Karl Oyston paid a company owned by his father, Owen, a world record £11m (which some believe went up to £23m) and also one company employee, believed to be Karl Oyston earns £500,000 a year. All whilst they offer young players £200 a week, then when they turn that down, refuse to let them even train with the squad and Lee Clark is not allowed to have them in the squad. We have had something like 50 players this season... Inlcuding the currerntly AWOL Nile Ranger, Belgian Jeffery Renmeister, who this week used the clubs facebook page to appeal to fans for help as he is one of the players signed by former manager Jose Riga who has been frozen out. He posted pleading for fans to help him, explaining that he to is training alone.... I could list so, so many things that are just an absolute joke, but I would be here all night boring you all to death.....

I remember how bad things got for you lot and it is great to see you doing better, even if on the pitch this season is not as good. Believe it or not though you will find some Blackpool fans who hope you win tomorrow, which seems an appalling thing to say about your own team, and of course some fans do not like that opinion... But it shows just how bad things have got...

edited to add: breaking crossbars.... hmmmm..... could you link me to the Build A Bonfire you mentioned please?

 

[Rookie]

I honestly thought after what we went through the FA had put safeguards in place to stop something similar happening, apparently not.
Really hope, and I'm sure they will, that those travelling join in

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Aye one of our aims in TK is to highlight the crisis to the wider public. We have achieved it to a certain extent too with the Daily Mail regularly now reporting, Channel 4 doing an investigative report, Patrick Collins, also in the Daily Mail, writing a scathing article about the Oystons and in one national newspaper (can't remember which now) they named Karl Oyston as the worst chairman/owner in the Football League. Oh and the Daily Mail were banned from the press area at Bloomfield Road too.....

Whilst of course our focus is on our own plight, we also realise that there is a bigger picture in all of this. Not the least of which is the Premier League parachute payments and how they are used by the clubs concerned. Karl Oyston paid a company owned by his father, Owen, a world record £11m (which some believe went up to £23m) and also one company employee, believed to be Karl Oyston earns £500,000 a year. All whilst they offer young players £200 a week, then when they turn that down, refuse to let them even train with the squad and Lee Clark is not allowed to have them in the squad. We have had something like 50 players this season... Inlcuding the currerntly AWOL Nile Ranger, Belgian Jeffery Renmeister, who this week used the clubs facebook page to appeal to fans for help as he is one of the players signed by former manager Jose Riga who has been frozen out. He posted pleading for fans to help him, explaining that he to is training alone.... I could list so, so many things that are just an absolute joke, but I would be here all night boring you all to death.....

I remember how bad things got for you lot and it is great to see you doing better, even if on the pitch this season is not as good. Believe it or not though you will find some Blackpool fans who hope you win tomorrow, which seems an appalling thing to say about your own team, and of course some fans do not like that opinion... But it shows just how bad things have got...

edited to add: breaking crossbars.... hmmmm..... could you link me to the Build A Bonfire you mentioned please?

It's out of print but there's a copy on Ebay right now.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Build-a-B...1487897119?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item4632143a1f

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

About the book

Synopsis
How would you feel if your football club was bought by a businessman who saw your ground as real estate? And what if your ground was demolished leaving you with nowhere to play next season?

Many fans believe that when Bill Archer, a Blackburn-based entrepreneur, bought Brighton and Hove Albion, he had no passion for the club or the game but rather saw an opportunity to make a profit. If so, he made the fatal mistake of misjudging football fans.

In July 1995, Brighton's local daily paper led its front page with the headline 'Seagulls Migrate', announcing that the Goldstone Ground was to be sold to a property developer for £7.4 million and that 'home' games were to be played at Portsmouth. All this without one word of consultation with the fans.

What followed was the biggest campaign in the history of football to save a club. Drawing on dozens of interviews with people directly involved - the fans, the FA, the players and the management - Build a Bonfire dramatically traces the progress of the two-year fight with the board: two years of despair, absurdity and solidarity.

In so doing, the book not only explores implications for other clubs, in a world where the battle lines between football and money are being drawn ever tighter, but also creates a picture of that strange and wonderful thing: the football fan.

And having lived through the crisis and listened to the fans, the authors can offer their Ten Essential Steps to Depose your Club Chairman, should the need arise . . .

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

It's available from amazon, and on kindle

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It's available from amazon, and on kindle

I don't know about the kindle version but the book is used. You can order it but then you're told none are available. The one on Ebay is a similar price and available now.

 

[OfficialKnights]

It's available from amazon, and on kindle

ah nice on kindle too, will definitely get hold of a copy. Seen the front cover now too, with the effigy being burnt.... Already given us more ideas of course.....

As you can imagine this latest "club statement" this evening has angered fans even more......

We tried to get anti-oyston banners in the away end at various other home games. But we are watched like hawks, as I am sure you will know about. Most of the TK are banned from the stadium anyway, I am one of the few who is not, as yet. Although we have not organised the protest tomorrow we do support it, and we understand that there may at some point toward the end of the game be a protest inside the stadium. When we did our 1953 protest, Cardiff fans joined in. The 19th minute they joined by chanting "We'll always be blue" and in the 53rd minute when we walked out they stood applauding.

Anything any Brighton fans can do tomorrow would be great, even just standing with us before the match. I am sure someone will try give a Brighton fan a banner to try take in...

And to add to what I said about some fans thinking it would be best if you won tomorrow, there was even a call by some for fans to actually cheer when the opposition score.... Ridiculous and surreal times...