Oyston breaks silence to insist he won't be quitting Blackpool

The under fire chairman hasn’t spoken in public for more than a year following a number of PR disasters and Pool’s chaotic relegation from the Championship last season.

Blackpool’s problems prompted constant protests against the Oyston family from sections of the supporters, with many calling for them to sell the club. But speaking this evening, Oyston suggested they won’t be walking away.

“There’s no appetite to sell, there’s no appetite to leave, there’s a massive appetite to deal with the problems we’ve got,” insisted Oyston.

“The on the pitch problems are well on the way to being prepared, the off field problems in some cases may be repairable, in some cases not.

“That won’t stop the football club and people around it doing what we can to repair those relationships.

“We will set our position our clearly so people can see what we are trying to achieve.”

Oyston’s running of the club has prompted widespread criticism, with legal action against supporters leaving relations with the club’s fan base at an all time low.

Last year Blackpool Supporters Trust tabled an offer to buy the club using its own assets, one which was turned down almost on the spot by the Oyston family.

While Oyston continues to refuse to talk to The Gazette, speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, he swerved questions about the possibility of accepting any future offers for the club, insisting there have been no acceptable bids.

He said: “Without being evasive it’s difficult to answer an ‘if’ question.

“No-one has made an offer which would be considered by the majority shareholders and that’s been the case for many years.

“Any interest we have had has been in a form not acceptable to some of the shareholders.

“That interest probably wouldn’t have been in the best interests of the club and the town in any event.

“As things stand there are no interested party which has made a money offer to give us a decision to make.

“I really can’t see that changing, there aren’t legions of people falling over each other to buy football clubs.

“Maybe in London for some of the sexier locations, but certainly not in the provincial ones.”

Blackpool currently lie 18th in League One, and this season are set for their lowest Football League finish in almost a decade.

Despite this, Oyston insists the club isn’t the shambles which many claim is the case.

“It’s a fair and valid comment to describe us as a mess, it may appear so from the outside,” said Oyston.

“That has been based on result and league position.

“But inside there’s a very good spirit and generally a good feeling around the place which has been absent for a while.

“There’s certainly a feeling of togetherness.

“The manager feels he’s being supported I’d like to think and having his back watched.

“The squad we have now is a lot lot stronger than it has been for some time.

“We now have players on longer term contracts and we are happy with their ability and age profile.

“The results are starting to show, we are a lot more comfortable going to games now.

“In a rebuild there were always going to be tough times, things weren’t going to gel instantly.

“I think Neil has done a fantastic job to stem the flow.

“I think most reasonably minded people will see the green shoots of recovery are showing now.”