Karl Oyston

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Karl Oyston
Nationality British
Occupation Businessman
Known for Chairman of Blackpool F.C.
Net worth £105M[1]
Parents Owen and Vicki Oyston

Karl Oyston is an English businessman and the chairman of Blackpool F.C.. The Sunday Times Rich List has Oyston's wealth along with his father Owen at £105M, making them the 759th-richest in the country, down from 659th in 2007.[1]

Background

Up until 1999, Oyston spent much of his time involved in running the Oyston family businesses including property management, farming interests and publishing.[2]

Blackpool F.C.

On 3 April 1999 Oyston took over as chairman of Blackpool F.C, becoming the third member of the Oyston family to occupy the role, after his father, Owen, and mother, Vicki, from whom he inherited the role.[3][4] Initially he took over the role of Managing Director, following the resignation of both the previous Managing Director, Gill Bridge and Vicki Oyston, who had resigned as chairman following what was described as "an ugly 'Oyston Out' demonstration by fans at the stadium". Oyston had been handed control of the club by his father, who was, at the time, still serving a prison sentence for rape. Oyston stated that his mother had quit to give him a level playing field and let him run the club his way after his father had promised he would not seek to take over again upon his release.[5]

In July 2005 he was elected onto the Football League Board of directors as a representative of League One,[6] and in June 2006 was elected back onto the board.[7]

In September 2006 after an undercover investigation into illicit payments in football on the BBC Panorama current affairs documentary series, Oyston claimed that he had been offered bungs by football agents, saying "I've been offered cash as a bribe to bring a player to the club and it's happened more than once. In one instance, someone wanted me to take a player on a higher salary than we would normally pay, so he offered me a certain amount of cash as a gift to get me to do it. I said no and it didn't take any time whatsoever to reach that decision. Since 1999 when I became chairman here, my managers have been offered bungs. We've missed out on a lot of footballers because of it and that is one of my biggest concerns. It is very disturbing and in the Premiership where there are huge, huge deals taking place, it is a major problem."[8][9][10] The Football Association asked Oyston, and others who made similar claims, to name the agents concerned, saying that they had a duty to provide evidence.[11][12]

On 26 January 2010, Oyston was elected to the Football League Board of Directors as a representative of the Championship in a ballot for the vacant position.[13][14] but had to leave this post at the end of the season following Blackpool's promotion to the Premier League.

In August 2010, Oyston offered to stand down as chairman of the club, stating his belief that he has a different approach to the rest of the Premier League chairmen and the difficulties of dealing with top-flight players and their agents. Oyston said: "The offer (to stand down) is still open. I have told the board and, yes, I am very serious. Why? Because I'm not sure I have the right approach to be in this division. The more I speak to other people at other clubs, the more I realise I am a lone voice. There was some support for things I did and said in the Championship but there doesn't seem to be any in this division. Everyone else seems to subscribe to the way that business seems to be conducted and it is a way I find unacceptable, so we'll see."

He added about agents: "We are the ones who are the employers. We are the ones offering the terms and the contracts. It is up to us how we go about things. I don't think any deal should be about the agent. It should be about the player, and about giving the player a platform under a wonderful manager to perform on one of the best footballing stages in the world. Agents are sometimes denying their clients that chance."[15]

On 18 August, he stood down as both chairman and director of the club with immediate effect, although he remained as Acting Chief Executive.[16][17] The following day it was reported that Oyston was involved in a bankruptcy hearing. Lancaster Crown Court confirmed that a judge was considering bankruptcy papers involving Oyston.[18] The order was annulled on 12 October.[19] Oyston returned to the his role as chairman in 2011.

Personal life

On 19 February 2011, Oyston married his partner Vicki Wheeler at Christ Church in Over Wyresdale, near Lancaster. They honeymooned in Chile.[20]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Owen and Karl Oyston". Sunday Times. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2008. 
  2. ↑ Rosthorn, Andrew (17 September 1995). "Guardian's land sale riles Oyston". The Independent. Retrieved 8 September 2008. 
  3. ↑ Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC on This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Brighton: Pitch Publishing Ltd. p. 59. ISBN 1-905411-50-2. 
  4. ↑ "Oyston not worried about critics". BBC Sport. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008. 
  5. ↑ "Why Gill had to go". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. 2 April 1999. Retrieved 31 August 2008. 
  6. ↑ "Beeks is elected to League board". BBC Sport. 9 July 2005. Retrieved 8 September 2008. 
  7. ↑ Scott, Matt (24 June 2006). "Sheepshanks gets back on board despite role in ITV deal fiasco". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 September 2008. 
  8. ↑ "Liverpool ponder BBC legal action". BBC Sport. 22 September 2006. Retrieved 8 September 2008. 
  9. ↑ Szczepanik, Nick (8 May 2008). "Sirens sound as inquiries follow hot on heels of Stevens report". The Times. Retrieved 31 August 2008. 
  10. ↑ "Blackpool Chairman reveals multiple bung offers". ESPNsoccernet. 21 September 2006. Retrieved 8 September 2008. 
  11. ↑ "FA demands evidence of corruption". BBC Sport. 29 September 2006. Retrieved 8 September 2008. 
  12. ↑ "BBC & FA hold bung evidence talks". BBC Sport. 25 September 2006. Retrieved 8 September 2008. 
  13. ↑ "Oyston gets places on FL board". Blackpool Gazette. 26 January 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2010. 
  14. ↑ "Oyston joins FL Board". The Football League. 26 January 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2010. 
  15. ↑ Canavan, Steve (17 August 2010). "Oyston's quit offer still stands". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 17 August 2010. 
  16. ↑ "BREAKING NEWS". Blackpool F.C. 18 August 2010. Retrieved 18 August 2010. 
  17. ↑ "Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston resigns". BBC Sport. 18 August 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010. 
  18. ↑ "Ex-Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston in bankruptcy hearing". bbc.co.uk. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2010. 
  19. ↑ "Blackpool reveal Karl Oyston bankruptcy order annulment" – BBC Sport, 12 October 2010
  20. ↑ "Blackpool chairman says 'I do'" - Blackpool Gazette, 21 February 2011
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