Football fans urged to unite for clubs in crisis

Football fans from across the UK are being urged to take part in a day of action in Blackpool to protest against the game's unpopular owners.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Mar 2017, 11:14 BST
Updated 24th Mar 2017, 11:25 BST
Blackpool fans protesting outside Bloomfield Road earlier this seasonBlackpool fans protesting outside Bloomfield Road earlier this season
Blackpool fans protesting outside Bloomfield Road earlier this season

The protest is being organised by the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) and Blackpool Supporters' Trust (BST), who arecalling on fans to head to the north west and show support to fans of clubs in crisis.

On Saturday, May 6, fans from across the country will be descending on the seaside town to offer their solidarity to supporters of Blackpool, Leyton Orient and many other clubs with problematic owners.

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Blackpool play Leyton Orient on the final day of the season, and Fans United will offer an alternative for fans of those club wishing to boycott the fixture. It will also be a focal point for other fans to demonstrate against unpopular owners.

The march will commence at 4pm from Pleasure Beach via the Promenade South Shore and on to Bloomfield Road, which will be rounded off with a rally at 5pm.

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Following the march there will be fixture at the home of AFC Blackpool where a Fans for Diversity FC XI will take on a Clubs in Crisis fans’ XI. Live music and drinks will round off the day at The Shovels venue.

Although taking place on a busy end-of-season weekend, FSF chairman Malcolm Clarke urged as many supporters as possible to head to Blackpool

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“When I visited Blackpool supporters to speak to them earlier in the year it reminded me of their passion and life-long commitment to their football club,” he said.

“Owners are the temporary guardians of a football club’s heritage – clubs such as Blackpool, Coventry City and Leyton Orient are no exception.

“Directors, managers and players all come and go, but generations of supporters and their families are ever-present.

“We are still, unfortunately, in the position where a handful of club owners are not fit to be guardians of that heritage.”

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The day of action is named in honour of the 20th anniversary of the 1997 Fans United protests. These saw fans from across the country, and beyond, rally behind Brighton and Hove Albion against nefarious owners ultimately saving the club.