A CONSORTIUM hoping to take over Blackpool Football Club is expected to make a new announcement tomorrow (Friday, January 9).

The group, led by club vice-president David Haythornthwaite, has been reconsidering its position since presenting club chairman Vicki Oyston with a £4m bid on New Year's Eve. "We had a full and frank discussion with Mrs Oyston," said Mr Haythornthwaite, "and we made an offer of £4m which was neither accepted nor declined.

"However, Mrs Oyston did point out that the Bloomfield Road site only had been independently valued at £6m, but the Oyston family valued it at much more than that."

The consortium has presented fans with plans for a 25,000-seat stadium at Whyndyke Farm, the site where Blackpool FC directors were planning to build a 42,000-seat multi-purpose stadium until negotiations with the landowners broke down in November.

Mrs Oyston, who has stated she still hopes to go ahead at Whyndyke, has announced a fans' forum on January 21 (Wed) from 5pm to 7pm at the Tangerine Club, Bloomfield Road, aimed at answering questions about the club's future.

But the Blackpool Independent Supporters' Club wants an earlier meeting.

It aims to take a vote on which plan to support on January 17 at the No.1 Club before the match with Bournemouth and wants to hear the arguments from both sides before then.

The fans fear the antiquated Bloomfield Road stadium will soon not qualify for a safety certificate.

The 1,500-capacity Spion Kop suffered gale damage on Christmas Eve and will not re-open until Wigan FC's visit on January 31.

The landowners' specially-created development company Windsor Management submitted plans for a 25,000-seat stadium and separate arena to Fylde Council in November.

It has until March to give a decision.

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