Pool fan set to face Oystons in court

David Ragozzino, 32, is being sued for up to £150,000 by the club and its directors, Karl and Owen Oyston, after he allegedly posted defamatory information about them online.

But he vowed to fight on in front of up to 100 people who he said will travel to Manchester for the court hearing on Thursday.

Mr Ragozzino, of Marton, said: “I don’t know what to expect – we are hoping they will go in our favour.

“It could go either way. You never know.

“By the time they have finished, I will have ruined every chance they have got of making up with the fans.

“They are just trying to silence the fans again and I just want them to leave me alone.”

He said he expects between 80 and 100 people to be in court supporting him as he fights his corner.

He was served with papers in December detailing claims lodged with the court, naming Karl and Owen Oyston as claimants, as well as Blackpool FC Ltd. Each claimant is suing Mr Ragozzino for an unspecified amount, limited to £50,000.

The claims relate to comments allegedly made by the defendant on the A View From The Tower online fans’ forum under the screen name
The_Run_Up_The_Hill.

Some of the comments refer to Owen Oyston’s conviction for rape in 1996.

The hearing is due to take place at Manchester High Court on Thursday. It is not known if the Oystons will be there. The hearing is scheduled to last 20 minutes.

At the weekend, the club announced it had settled out of court in another case where a fan was accused of making defamatory comments.