How Not to Run a Football Club: Protests, Boycotts, Court Cases - The Inside Story of Blackpool FC

On a hot day in May 2010, Blackpool won a play-off final and earned a spot in the Premier League. However, the club was falling apart, with buckets collecting rain leaking through the training ground roof and the manager's office could not have heat or lights on at the same time. The Oystons paid themselves nearly GBP30m and it took five years for Blackpool to suffer three relegations back to the basement of the Football League. Fans hit back, and the chairman Karl Oyston told a fan he was on a "never-ending revenge mission". How Not to Run a Football Club is the inside story of how one family nearly ran a football club to its death and how a community brought it back.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 14 March 2022
Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd

On a scorching day in May 2010, Blackpool achieved the impossible dream. The Seasiders booked their ticket to the Premier League in a thrilling play-off final win, with all the riches that came with it. Twenty-four hours later, while everybody else was celebrating, the Oystons were meeting to plan how they would take it. Ian Holloway and his side fought bravely for survival, becoming the nation's second team with their swashbuckling style. Behind the scenes, the club was falling apart. Buckets collected rain leaking through the training ground roof. The manager's office could have the heat or lights on, just not at the same time. The Oystons paid themselves nearly GBP30m. It took five years for Blackpool to suffer three relegations back to the basement of the Football League. When fans hit back, they were sued. Chairman Karl Oyston told a fan he was on a "never-ending revenge mission." How Not to Run a Football Club is the inside story of how one family nearly ran a football club to its death. And how a community brought it back.

On a scorching day in May 2010, Blackpool achieved the impossible dream. The Seasiders booked their ticket to the Premier League in a thrilling play-off final win, with all the riches that came with it. Twenty-four hours later, while everybody else was celebrating, the Oystons were meeting to plan how they would take it. Ian Holloway and his side fought bravely for survival, becoming the nation's second team with their swashbuckling style. Behind the scenes, the club was falling apart. Buckets collected rain leaking through the training ground roof. The manager's office could have the heat or lights on, just not at the same time. The Oystons paid themselves nearly GBP30m. It took five years for Blackpool to suffer three relegations back to the basement of the Football League. When fans hit back, they were sued. Chairman Karl Oyston told a fan he was on a "never-ending revenge mission." How Not to Run a Football Club is the inside story of how one family nearly ran a football club to its death. And how a community brought it back.

Weight: 394g
Dimension: 144 x 223 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781801500036