Blackpool fan sued for £20k by the Oystons

Frank Knight is a pensioner being forced to pay £20k for allegedly libelous comments he made regarding the Oystons on his Facebook page which has 34 friends. This is simple bullying, as people like Frank cannot afford to risk taking such a case to court because the chances of losing, no matter how small, would ruin their entire lives beyond repair.

His legal costs to date are £10k+

The Guardian article below contains further details and a link to a justfundme page

http://www.gofundme.com/s5bbb8r

http://www.theguardi...urt-online-post

The fund has received £6k in 24 hours which is a fantastic effort from football fans.

Please donate whatever you can, small or large, and if possible add a little comment so Frank can see the support he has got all over the football league.

If you could share this or even make it a sticky that would be very much appreciated

I thought he agreed to an out of court settlement?

That's correct. I understand the Oystons were claiming a much larger amount plus presenting their large legal costs if it went to court.

The health of himself and his wife was affected, he couldn't afford to continue and settled.

It is vindictive by Oyston, but you can't go around libelling people.

I thought he agreed to an out of court settlement?

He did. Which saved him being completely screwed over.

It is vindictive by Oyston, but you can't go around libelling people.

This is true, but if you have enough money to challenge people in court who don't have the same amount of money, you can ruin them without recrimination and without the case even being contested.

Exactly. Say, I'm rich and you see me doing something illegal. You post it, I sue you. You now have to PROVE that I did it. Can you actually prove it, even if it did happen? My legal team get to work on you, can you afford to fight it and potentially end up ruined?

Exactly. Say, I'm rich and you see me doing something illegal. You post it, I sue you. You now have to PROVE that I did it. Can you actually prove it, even if it did happen? My legal team get to work on you, can you afford to fight it and potentially end up ruined?

Exactly, hence the guy caving in to a settlement and a cringeworthy toadying apology, and hopefully a bunch of people chucking in a few quid each to help him out, knowing the same could happen to any of us in an unguarded moment.

I really feel for the Blackpool fans. They don't deserve all this, the club will just fall away into the distance now.

Why don't all Blackpool fans repeat the claims and see if Oyston sues you all?

Shame about the pompey fan commenting on how they loathe vile owners on the gofundme site. They love dodgy owners.

Here is the skated comment.

'Pete Roberts.. I beg to differ... think you will find that Pompey was treated the same.. if not worse. Anyway.. it is not a competition... WHATEVER team we support... time for the fans to rise up and be counted. it can be done. All the best'.

Did not seem to mind the fa cup win and the run in Europe they had?

It sounds absolutely scandalous bullying.

Exactly. Say, I'm rich and you see me doing something illegal. You post it, I sue you. You now have to PROVE that I did it. Can you actually prove it, even if it did happen? My legal team get to work on you, can you afford to fight it and potentially end up ruined?

That is why the UK libel laws are so stupid. In the USA, a public figure must prove that the alleged libeler knew the statements were false or made them in reckless disregarded for whether or not they were false.

Exactly, hence the guy caving in to a settlement and a cringeworthy toadying apology, and hopefully a bunch of people chucking in a few quid each to help him out, knowing the same could happen to any of us in an unguarded moment.

I would rather he started the go fund me campaign to fight the initial case.

It sounds absolutely scandalous bullying.

It is, but, and playing devil's advocate (and as mentioned above) it somewhat depends what was said. The fact that the chap had 34 "friends" is somewhat irrelevant. It's easy to pass judgement when we don't know both sides of the story (ie what was written). I would love to know what got the Oyston's so motivated to sue one of their supporters, but guess that it can't be repeated here.

Can someone confirm exactly what the pensioner guy said pls?

Can someone confirm exactly what the pensioner guy said pls?

Oyston out

Can someone confirm exactly what the pensioner guy said pls?

I don't know exactly what he said, but it can be paraphrased as "I believe that the way Oyston is running Blackpool is somewhat suboptimal." I hope that doesn't get me sued.

Most of what is posted about KoKo is widely believed to be true, ( for instance in the opinions of the Blackpool fans in my office ), and some of what is posted about Owen O is verifiable.

What they have done with the parachute payments is perfectly legal, and totally despicable. Now the money has finally run out, will the Oyscum cut & run, or run the club into the ground ?

Just read the dude's wiki, we should count our blessings.

We have such bad and archaic libel laws that there is a lucrative living to be made by libel lawyers from people from all over the world flying in to sue people in this country, even if, like some, the criticism in a different language, the 'libelled' and 'libeller' are in a different country and it has no link with this country, if you can prove that soemoen in the UK COULD have seen it, bang, judgement in the high court in favour of the plantiff.

I don't know exactly what he said, but it can be paraphrased as "I believe that the way Oyston is running Blackpool is somewhat suboptimal." I hope that doesn't get me sued.

Don't be silly. It can't be that. Can it?

I know you have paraphrased things, but if it was just the standard of the stewardship rather than any malfeasance, then that's hardly libellous. Do you know what was written and was there an allegation of breaking the law?

Sorry, couldn't reply before now due to site posting restrictions

Firstly, have seen that at least one Southampton can has contributed, thanks so much for that.

I don't know what frank said, and if I did it would be libel to post it!

it's described as a 'passionate rant' on the gofundme page.

He's a well known and longstanding critic of the Oystons

It is suggested that, like the (now former) chairman of the Blackpool Supporters Trust, who had to pay £10k on top of his own £12k legal fees, he was targeted

Sorry, couldn't reply before now due to site posting restrictions

Firstly, have seen that at least one Southampton can has contributed, thanks so much for that.

 

I don't know what frank said, and if I did it would be libel to post it!

it's described as a 'passionate rant' on the gofundme page.

He's a well known and longstanding critic of the Oystons

It is suggested that, like the (now former) chairman of the Blackpool Supporters Trust, who had to pay £10k on top of his own £12k legal fees, he was targeted

Whatever MOR. It's painfully obvious that Oyston is a raging bellend. As a football fan, you will always have my support.

Be cheaper to have him bumped off rather than pay the 20k , might be worth looking into that

Those Oyston's really are cretins and scum of the earth, prob sue me for saying that but they'll lose as it is a true statement

libel is unacceptable. simple as. if you can not publish your material without facts to back up accusations then it breaks the law if the accusation defame individuals..... the same law we all have to abide by. Libel is not a jingoistic victimless crime. so lets get real and stop this fantasy stuff.... the guy was an idiot. those who think he is some sort of hero would not think the same if someone published something about them that smeared their character without foundation.

Just thought I would let you know that the target of £20k has been reached

Thanks to all Saints fans who helped in any way.

On the subject of libel, I have to be careful what I say, but the fund organiser has been on the radio.

He acknowledged that what Frank said was wrong, but that the punishment did not fit the crime.

I think that this is the driving force behind the campaign - the comments were made to 34 Facebook friends.

I'm sure you can appreciate that the situation at the club has caused some heated opinions, not least those from Karl Oyston himself which has resulted in FA charges.

Yes, defamation needs to have consequences, but let's make them reasonable and not an opportunity for vindictive payback.

Regardless of the rights or wrongs, it's been really heartening to see the 'football family' rallying round.

An awful situation has been turned into what we see as a spectacular own goal for the Oystons.

I would say more about them but Saint IQ has summed it up nicely.

Cheers!

A tweet by Jason Manford...

Dear fans,

After my earlier post regarding calling Karl Oyston of Blackpool FC an 'odious ferret' I've been contacted by my lawyers.

So I would like to retract my comments, they were unfair and misjudged and I can only apologise for letting myself, my family and my fans down. The last thing I want is to cause upset and to be taken to court over a silly comment.

I can only hope that my apology is accepted by ferrets and ferret owners everywhere. They of course make lovely, loving, loyal pets & are easily trainable & entertaining. To compare them to that total bellend was an insult to ferrets and for that I am sorry. To be even be mentioned in the same sentence to that knuckle-dragging slimy cockmuppet was a miscalculation on my part.

Regards,

Jason Manford

What's the deal with Oyston and Blackpool? Seems a strange way to run a club as it was pretty obvious that they were going to need one hell of a lot of luck not to be relegated. Relegation is bad for business. Alienating fans is bad for business. Businesses fail.

This is quite interesting though http://companycheck.co.uk/company/00048409/BLACKPOOL-FOOTBALL-CLUBLIMITEDTHE (somewhat better on paper than us)

Presume the value is mostly in the ground, if it was to be sold and redeveloped.