League One side Blackpool was "put up for sale by the Oyston family," according to Michael Holmes of the BLACKPOOL GAZETTE. The news came at the end of a "catastrophic week for the club's owners," who were ordered to pay former Dir Valeri Belokon £31.2M ($41.2M) on Monday and accused of "illegitimately stripping" the club of cash by a High Court judge. Pressure "was also mounting on the English Football League to act," with execs saying that they were reviewing the judge's decision ahead of a meeting later this month. Fans, "many of whom pledged to stay away from matches until the Oystons have gone, reacted with joy," while former players said that they hope to "soon see Bloomfield Road awash in a sea of tangerine once again." The club confirmed in a statement that it was "now in a position" to sell both Blackpool Football Club Ltd. and Blackpool Football Club Properties Ltd., which owns Bloomfield Road and property at the stadium. No asking price was given, with "expressions of interest" being taken by email. The club was previously valued by Oyston representatives at £5.5M, court documents showed. No mention was made of Blackpool FC Hotel, based in the stadium's south stand, "a separate business also owned by the Oystons," who have owned the club since '86 (BLACKPOOL GAZETTE, 11/10). The BBC reported under the ownership of the Oystons, Blackpool won promotion to the Premier League in '10, "but then dropped back to League Two in just five years." Following relegation after just one season in the top flight, its "supporters have been involved in demonstrations, match boycotts and social media campaigns over the way the family have run the club." In '16, Blackpool Supporters' Trust launched a £16M takeover bid, but Owen Oyston ended talks, saying in a letter that he doubted they had the "money or the experience necessary to support the club" (BBC, 11/10).
