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Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston hits out at president Valeri Belokon in open letter

The crisis at beleaguered Championship side Blackpool has intensified with fresh accusations being made in the civil war between the club’s chairman and president.

Chairman Karl Oyston has released an open letter hitting back at club president Valeri Belokon, a Latvian businessman who has a 20 per cent stake in the side.

It comes with fans fearful of the future with only 11 registered players — but no goalkeeper — ahead of their first league match of the season at Nottingham Forest on August 9.

Belokon last week accused the Oyston family of putting financial gain ahead of the club and of having “channeled away more than £24 million.”

Now Oyston has hit back, saying in a letter published on the club website that it is the Latvian who is demanding £24m from the club and defending his family’s running of Blackpool.

Oyston’s letter says Belokon asked for £24m to buy-out his 20 per cent shareholding a year ago and asked for that again last week.

The letter states: “This, Valeri, if had we agreed to pay £24m, would have given you a massive profit of virtually three times the original combined cost of your shares, which cost you £1.8m, with a further £6.6m loan from you to contribute towards the construction and fit-out of the south and south-west stands.

“You have already taken £1.86m from the football club.”

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