Scunthorpe chairman rules out any Blackpool bid

Scunthorpe United chairman Peter Swann has admitted he may have been interested in buying Blackpool Football Club had the circumstances been different.
Scunthorpe Uniteds chairman Peter SwannScunthorpe Uniteds chairman Peter Swann
Scunthorpe Uniteds chairman Peter Swann

The Lincolnshire-based businessman has previously been linked with a takeover of the club.

Now the club is up for sale, however, he has played down any idea of him launching a bid.

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Swann, the director of Coolsilk, is currently working on the development of the new Sands Venue Resort hotel, which is to be built near Blackpool Tower.

He revealed he’s been in touch with Coun Tony Williams, the leader of the Conservative group on Blackpool council, to discuss the situation at Bloomfield Road.

“It would be very difficult for me to get involved,” Swann told The Gazette.

“Obviously I’m the chairman of Scunthorpe at the moment and I am pretty much committed to that at the minute.

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“I’m doing a lot of work with the new hotel in Blackpool at the moment so I had a casual chat with Coun Tony Williams about the situation with the football club. That’s all it is.

“It’s difficult as I’m tied up with Scunthorpe, as are my family.

“I’ve been linked with Blackpool before and I have businesses over there, but there’s nothing in it.

“Personally there’s not a lot I can do. If it was another time or another place – then maybe.

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“But right now Scunthorpe are doing well in League One and we’re going for promotion. So I’m committed to the club but who’s to say what the situation will be in a few years?”

Swann has been keeping a key eye on the evolving situation at Blackpool in recent weeks and he predicts the Oystons will try and keep control of the club if possible.

“I know the Oystons and I know Natalie very well as well as Owen,” he added.

“To be honest I think Owen will try and keep hold of the football club if he can.

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“Now they’ve paid the £10m I think they’ll hope to get their appeal heard within the next six months and being honest, I think there’s a good chance the £31.27m figure could be reduced.

“I think the judgement was harsh. I was expecting between £10m and £12m so if they can get that reduced to 50 per cent they’ll probably look at selling the Travelodge.

“Owen remains very much a part of Blackpool Football Club, whereas most of the issues have come from Karl who has been the difficult one as he’s not a football man.

“But I can see Owen staying there and making a go of it.”