During the BBC’s Inside Out programme broadcast on Monday, Valeri Belokon admitted that he would like to own Blackpool FC in the future.
In a rare interview with the Latvian, he also admitted that he has spoken to local businessmen about the possibility of them partnering him in owning the club.
The issue of ownership has long been regarded as the most important matter among fans, given the demise of the club in the last few years which has ended up with Pool sitting in the League One relegation zone.
And whilst Neil McDonald is doing his very best to turn things around at Pool which has been shown through the team’s recent unbeaten run, the situation has gotten to the stage where new ownership really is what Blackpool FC needs.
The fans relationship with majority shareholders the Oyston family reached a new low last season when fans invaded the pitch during the last game of the season against Huddersfield and forced the match to be abandoned.
This was the same season when Blackpool barely had enough registered players before the opening game of the season and when manager Jose Riga was sacked a couple of months into his spell in charge, despite fans being promised a ‘Riga Revolution’.
A large amount of fans still refuse to go to home games whilst Oyston is in charge and there remains the feeling among supporters that they want the Oyston family to sell up.
Valeri Belokon seems to be the best chance of new ownership at Blackpool.
Though the relationship between Belokon and the Oyston’s is poor in it self and it would take a lot of work should Belokon decide to make a bid for the club.
There is certainly a chance of Belokon and a local businessman reaching an agreement in which they will launch a bid for the club, however if they were to then the process of acquiring the club would likely be long.
New ownership at Blackpool is what’s needed to bring back the fans passion for watching their team play and to get the Seasiders competing again.
It will be interesting to see if there is any developments in the coming months.
