Blackpool Supporters' Trust: Important year for our club, our community and regulation of our game

It is to be hoped that Mick McCarthy will fare better than Michael Appleton in the 19 games he has to save our Championship status. He brings experience, resilience and a hatred of losing that ought to stand us in good stead.

Quite apart from status, staying in this league makes a huge financial difference. We all know that the Premier League and clubs getting parachute payments hoover up the vast majority of the broadcasting revenue – roughly £5 in every six goes to them.

Of the small piece of pie left, the Championship takes 80 per cent and clubs in League One share just 12 per cent, so relegation would mean a big rethink of what the club can afford. Of course, these ‘cliff edges’ in the way the game’s vast sums of money are distributed are profoundly unhealthy.

We have waited in vain for the FA, EPL and EFL to work out something fairer and so far there is no evidence they are capable or willing to do so. And so we await the Government’s White Paper on football regulation reform with more than passing interest. The changes this heralds could make a huge difference to our club.

At local level, the work of BST goes on. Next week we conduct the fourth and final ballot this season to choose lucky mascots from within our membership for the home games with Stoke and Burnley. One member has made a very generous donation to ensure a child from a less well-off family can be a mascot at the QPR and West Brom games.

By season’s end, we will have funded 14 mascot packages thanks to members’ generosity and money from our reserves. We want to make this and other initiatives part of what we do every year, which means fund-raising is more important than ever and is the main reason we launched the 1953 Sweepstake.

You don’t have to be a member to take part or even a Blackpool fan. But if you want to support your local football club or help an organisation that exists for the benefit of its fans, the club and the community, then why not give us a try? You can learn more or sign up at https://www.1953.live/. Membership costs as little as £5 per year and we would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to join at [email protected]

One of the more rewarding aspects of the season so far has been our sponsorship of Blackpool FC Girls and Ladies’ Under-16s. This flourishing organisation is achieving great results on the pitch and doing a huge amount to connect with the public off it. We are proud to be associated with them and you can learn more about what they do at https://www.bfcct.co.uk/bfc-girls-and-ladies/

Last year, we surveyed members on a range of topics and have reflected on what they said about our priorities. You can read more at https://www.blackpoolsupporterstrust.com/post/2022-supporter-survey-what-you-told-us-and-how-we-ve-been-responding and a members’ meeting will be held soon. ​​​​​​