Another Oyston leaves Blackpool FC board of directors

Vicki Oyston pictured at the time she was chairwoman of Blackpool FC

Don’t miss the latest football news and gossip from leagues in England, Scotland and Europe with footballwire.co.ukVicki Oyston, the wife of owner Owen Oyston and the club’s former chairwoman, resigned as a director on Friday.

Vicki took control of the club in 1996 following Owen’s conviction for rape but relinquished the position in 1999, when her son Karl took over as chairman.

Her resignation came on the same day as Karl was sacked. He was replaced as chairman by recently-appointed director Natalie Christopher, Owen’s daughter from another relationship. Karl’s son Sam was appointed the club’s chief executive last month.

Papers filed with Companies House show Karl Oyston is no longer listed among the directors of Blackpool Football Club Ltd or Blackpool Football Club (Properties) Ltd, which owns the club’s Bloomfield Road stadium.

The club issued the following statement on Friday: “Natalie Christopher has been appointed the new chairwoman of Blackpool Football Club.

“Mr Karl Oyston is no longer Chairman or Director of the club, or any other Oyston Group company. The club will make no further comment at this time.”

Karl’s sacking came just over a week after he left his director role at another 11 Oyston businesses.

Asked by The Gazette yesterday if he wished to make any comment, Karl replied: “It’s snowing.”

The changes at Blackpool Football Club Ltd leave Owen Oyston, Natalie Christopher and Kaspars Varpins as directors.

Owen Oyston is now the sole listed director of Blackpool Football Club (Properties) Ltd, according to Companies House.

It follows rumours that Owen and Karl are at loggerheads over the future direction of the club, with Owen wanting to keep control and Karl reportedly prepared to wash his hands of it.

Owen returned to court on Monday to ask for an extension, having missed last Wednesday’s deadline to pay Valeri Belokon his second instalment of £10m.

But Justice Smith dismissed his application and instead announced a review of the payment structure, which had included two further instalments of £7.5m to be paid by March 30 and May 31.

He said Oyston had failed to progress the sale of assets, which had prejudiced Mr Belokon, and the Court of Appeal had now dismissed his application to overturn the original court judgement from last November.

Owen Oyston was ordered to pay the outstanding £25m immediately or face enforcement action to make him sell his assets.

That could potentially mean the football club going into receivership, although Belokon’s legal representative told the judge his client he would not pursue action against the club.