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Fans hit back as Blyth Spartans owner slams open letter from concerned supporter

Fans hit back as Blyth Spartans owner Irfan Liaquat slams open letter from a concerned supporter over the future and running of the club.

There is a growing amount of dissatisfaction among the club’s fanbase and now the chairman has addressed this through an open letter.

And after reading what he has had to say in response, the statement really is quite something, have a read of it below…

Discontent and concerns grow with letter sent to 7th tier club over owner’s stewardship

STATEMENT FROM OWNER

Dear Fans,

In recent weeks the Football Club has received several complaints by a large number of our supporters including, the wider respected community members, and those who hold a particular interest within the Football Club.

The complaints brought forward by the aforementioned, are against particular individuals who are fabricating stories that are deceitful and without merit.

Furthermore, these individuals are fuelling hatred across social media platforms with fake news, including harassment and defamatory comments against the club and its officials.

This also includes misleading and deceitful statements about the Football Club and its day to day operations.

We would like to inform you we are currently investigating all of your complaints against the culprits, and will act swiftly and accordingly where necessary in due course.

We are a community driven Football Club, and we would like to assure you we have taken your concerns and complaints very seriously.

We would like to thank you for your understanding and ongoing support, which is always greatly appreciated and highly valued by everyone at Blyth Spartans Football Club.

Regards,
Irfan Liaquat

LETTER TO THE CLUB:

Evening all, below is a copy of a letter to send to the football club this evening. Feel free to have a read of it if you so wish.

Dear Mr Irfan Liaquat/Laiquat,

I’m writing this to you today as quite frankly, I feel as though the football club we all hold dear to our hearts, appears to be in a shambolic state at the moment.

As supporters, over the last 5 years, we’ve witnessed this football club circling the drain. Fighting off relegation time and time again before finally succumbing to it just a few months ago. It has truly been difficult and outright dejecting at times, watching a famous non-league institution that we all adore, struggle in this fashion.

Over the last 5 years, we’ve lost close to 60% of our league games, witnessed some humiliating defeats and thrown away countless games, on top of being dumped out of the FA Cup and FA Trophy embarrassingly more times than I care to remember. Ultimately, being relegated on the final day of the season in that fashion, was the crowning moment that topped off the 5 years of misery we’ve been forced to bear witness to.

Despite all that though, we’ve been there every step of the way. We all care very deeply about this football club and its community, which many of us have been ingrained in for years. Blyth Spartans AFC has been quite literally the bedrock of a lot of people’s lives for years. A day at the match is something we all look forward to after a hard week at graft, no matter who we’re playing or where we’re going. For most of us, it’s the centerpiece of our social circles, giving us a chance to meet up and spend time with friends and family, meet people and even make new friends. For some people, it’s quite literally all they have.

For me, it’s been all of that and more. Over the years I’ve certainly had my struggles with mental health issues, however, this football club and the people around it have usually been a respite from all that. Over the last 15 years or so, I’ve been able to gain skills and confidence I never could have gained in any other environment through the work I’ve done here and the experiences I’ve had following this football club.

I know I won’t be alone in feeling that way as well. I’m sure many other supporters and volunteers will feel that way or have similar experiences, and many more will in the future. This football club and the experience it can give people is quite simply a true asset to the local community and one of the only things that is capable of bringing the town of Blyth and the surrounding areas together.

Ultimately, every one of us takes immense pride in the club. We want nothing more than to see it succeed on and off the pitch. We want to see a team and a manager show as much dedication to this football club as we do. We want a football club that respects supporters and is open and transparent about how it’s running and includes supporters in key decision-making.

I think a lot of people would agree with me in saying, that for a while now, we haven’t had a lot of that.

So, when the news broke that you had taken over the club back in February, we (the Green Army) were simply delighted. While just about every supporter had a level of respect for Tony and Kev, many felt that the time was right for them to step aside and hand over the reins to someone else. So, you can imagine just how excited we were when you came along and talked about growing the club on and off the pitch, hinting at investing in the club and even talking about plans to fire us into the Football League, and even at one point talked about Championship!

Naturally, due to your business history and your company’s house record with various profiles on there, a chunk of supporters and members of the press were extremely skeptical about your arrival, which we could understand. However, we defended you and encouraged supporters to give you and your team a chance to make a positive impact on the place. Sadly, nearly 4 months on from that takeover party, the opposite appears to have happened and most of your doubters have been proven right.

In recent months, you’ve disrespected players, coaching staff, volunteers and supporters – as well as the former ownership with your comments in the press and in private messages on Instagram to supporters. For weeks now we’ve gone without any real news or updates, creating a lot of anxiety and doubt about you and your team’s ability to run and finance this football club.

Ultimately, supporters do not want to have a contentious relationship with you. We want to work with you and help you and your team, to develop this football club and ensure supporters feel involved going forward. Ultimately though, due to the lack of communication from you and the rest of the team, as well as the treatment of some people in our community, we appear to be a long way from that.

I implore you to begin being honest and transparent about the running of the football club and your plans for the future. We don’t want to hear about a vague bullet-pointed 5-year plan. We want real and transparent information about how you plan to take this football club forward.

We as a Supporter’s Group and Supporter’s Trust, want to support you going forward however, if you continue to run the football club the way you have in recent months, we simply cannot do that.

Dan Rolls

Blyth’s Green Army

As mentioned, fans hit back as the Blyth Spartans owner slams the open letter issued from concerned supporter…

@MattHurren1: This football club has been part of my life since birth. My closest relative sat on the board for over a decade. I’ve given thousands of pounds. Travelled thousands of miles. I adore this club. But it no longer feels like my club anymore, and that breaks my heart.

@BigWiseFuck: Jesus wept man! What kind of statement is this. This must be a speedrun record for this kind of shite.

@Grimmy16: No idea what the hell’s going on at the club or why this even needed to be put out. Any other owner wouldn’t feel the need to put something like this out. They’d just crack on and speak when they need to.

@LRbix: Screams fucking Joseph Cala vibes here

@StuOnSport: “Don’t hold me to account” seems the vibe I’m getting from this statement.

@DAWUK17: Owner wanting to ban fans. Now where have I seen this before 👀🤣

@chrismorgan57: Stop them being nasty about me!

@Connor_RiceyGFC: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA They’ve actually gotten Joe Cala 2.0. what is going on

@HoughtonQuaker: This has gone Reynolds much more quickly than I anticipated

@matts_N7: this sounds very familiar

@Logan14Cameron: Remember when they were buzzing this takeover went through

@KeiranN_99: Fucking hell 😂😂 turmoil!! 🫢

@Sam1879_: Terrible owner with no ambition or football sense.

@gsrn82: The fans are your lifeblood, respect their opinions wether you agree or not….. just run a club and keep your head down, you will be judged on results

@Boxytweets: How about focusing on running the fucking football club. No one to blame but yourselves for the fans rightly being upset.

@NE63exile: Don’t see this ending well especially if he can’t hack criticism.

@BenHatchett: Hardly fabricating stories by stating facts. Making observations about lack of signings and lack of communication is well within any supporters concerns.

@blankcracka: First thing he has said and it’s because he is rightfully getting laid into by the fans. Another chancer going to ruin another football club.

@PortDan1121: Got relegated, signed fuck all, odd managerial choice and now your gaslighting an entire fanbase?

@davehoey81: Sorry state of affairs when the club decide to put this kind of statement out. Juvenile.

@mgell1s: This will all end in tears.

@thatmarkgodfrey: Genuine question, Mr Liaquat because I’ve been baffled from day one: why, truthfully, did you purchase Blyth Spartans? What’s in it for you? You’re not from the town; you’re never going to get rich off the back of it; you can’t sell the land for housing. Very odd.

@planetglenn: What needs to happen pretty quickly now is for the club to arrange for the chairman to get together with a handful of people from the supporters groups like @BlythsGreenArmy to get things clear, nip stuff in the bud etc and do it urgently before this disconnect is beyond repair.

@loud_MM91: Oh dear

@isaac_mccourt: actions speak louder than words maybe if you got your act together then there would be no problems 🤷‍♂️

@Ted246_: Actions speak louder than words, Mr Chairman. Unfortunately there has been a lack of either, only slightly more on the latter. Stop playing the victim card and do what is needed to run the football club. You still have time to turn things around. Howay Blyth

@mattabbottpoet: He’ll get a nasty wake-up call when barely a few hundred turn up for the first few home games, and the team is rooted to the bottom of the table. This is an appalling state of affairs.

@parker2k00: 🤡

@AnneReeve52919: It’s a sorry state of affairs and I believe if the fans had been kept informed at regular intervals of progress or lack of, then all this resentment could have been nipped in the bud. The statement has not quelled any frustrations nor has it mentioned any team news 🙄

@TonyHewitt35945: From a Scarborough fan, sorry to hear of your problems. You are traditionally a great club & I wish you well in your recovery. We’ve had experience in the past of relegations and ‘bad club management’ so know how you feel. With the right people you can turn it round like we have.

@bluearmy4ever: It’s the same strategy used by all previous unsuccessful team owners, play the victim, blame the fans and try to shift the blame. Going to end in tears. I feel for Blyth.

@ssawyer71: Circus

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