Fan groups respond to Blackpool's meeting offer

They are one of five fan groups invited to the March 10 Bloomfield Road meeting, to be chaired by Rev. Michael Ward of Blackpool FC Community Trust and arranged to help “implement an improvement in relations between the club and its supporters”.

The club-sanctioned Fans Progress Group is the only one of the five to have officially confirmed its attendance so far, though BST says its has written to Rev Ward asking for more information on a number of issues.

BST chairman Steve Rowland said: “We have written to Rev Ward asking for clarification on certain points regarding the purpose and constitution of the proposed meeting.”

BST plans to conduct a members’ vote to determine whether to attend on March 10. Other groups who, like BST, have been invited to send a single representative to the meeting are Yorkshire Seasiders, Blackpool Supporters Association and London-based BASIL.

While BSA declined to comment, it’s believed they will be accepting the invitation regardless of the other groups’ stance.

Yorkshire Seasiders, which has around 140 members, said it would take its lead from BST before confirming a decision.

Its chairman Phil Corbett said: “We are in the process of talking about whether or not to accept the offer.

“Our initial inclination is to go. We feel it would be a good opportunity to hear what they have to say.

“It was interesting the invite came from the Community Trust to talk about improving relations and other issues . We’d like to know exactly what’s on the agenda.

“The Yorkshire Seasiders don’t really get involved in the politics of it all. We simply recommend that our members join BST.

“We have until the February 26 to make our decision.”

BASIL (Blackpool Association of Supporters in London) has followed the club for more than 30 years. Like the Yorkshire Seasiders, it prefers to leave the politics to BST and will await that body’s vote.

BASIL’s Mark Hempleman told The Gazette: “We are in consultation with BST about whether to attend. We see them as the main supporter group.

“The key is we need clarity on what will be talked about in the meeting. Once we have that we’ll put it out to the membership.

“BASIL is a non-political supporters’ group’ We care desperately about the football club and if we can help to improve the future we will.

“We urge all our members to join BST and will follow their decision.

“If they decide to attend, we will also be there.”