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New hope at Blackpool

Blackpool fans are hoping that there will be a regime change at Blackpool after the Oystons lost a High Court battle with Valeri Belokon and have been ordered to buy him out for £31m: Blackpool court case

In his ruling, Mr Justice Smith said the Oystons had "abused their majority powers to the detriment" of both Mr Belokon and Blackpool FC. The judge commented, 'Mr Karl Oyston was an argumentative witness, who gave speeches rather than answering questions. I found him generally incapable of answering a question straightforwardly.'

Justice Smith ordered the Oystons to pay £10m to Belokon within 28 days; their assets to be frozen while a timetable for the full amount was decided.The Oystons’ £26.77m payments to their own companies was described by the judge as 'illegitimate stripping of Blackpool FC'.

Blackpool Supporters' Trust chair Christine Seddon told the Blackpool Gazette: 'It’s a momentous day for the football club. We need to keep calm but I really think this is the start of our new future. Where do we go from here? Well their assets have been frozen, so what are they going to do now? I really feel this has got to be it.'

'I can’t realistically foresee any way they can keep hold of the football club. They have to find that staggering amount of money to hold on to a football club that is haemorrhaging money on a weekly basis and will continue to do so until they’ve gone. So what have they got to hang around for now? I feel hopeful that this has got to be the trigger now and they are on their way out of the door.'

It has to be said that the Oystons have always taken an obdurate stance in terms of hanging on to the club.

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