BFCSupportersTrust
Vital Youth Team
BST would like to congratulate Jeremy Smith on the successful outcome of today’s defamation case in Liverpool. We have campaigned since they started prosecuting fans for the Oyston family to abandon their policy of taking legal action against their own supporters and are disappointed, but not in the least surprised, that the official club statement appears to suggest that the case against Jeremy was dropped in a spirit of goodwill.
This was no act of benevolence. Just a couple of days ago, the Oystons applied to have Jeremy’s defence struck out and to increase their claim for damages from £25,000 to £250,000. These are not the actions of people who have realised that they simply should never have started such damaging litigation in the first place. The fact that the Oystons have been left with a very hefty bill for all costs suggests that they had no option but to drop a suit that need never have been brought. This appears to be a case of the Oystons acting in their own best interests rather than those of the club or its supporters.
Pursuing “a life-long fan” through the courts in this unprecedented way could never be “in the best interests of the club or wider support base.” Litigation against supporters is a major reason why fans are boycotting the club in their thousands, many having vowed never to return until the Oystons have gone.
BST has repeatedly told the Oystons that they must desist from all civil litigation against the club’s supporters. We believe they have missed the opportunity to take a positive lead in bringing to an end to the distress and hardship that the threat of legal action entails. The official statement from the club reads like a blatant attempt to take credit from today’s defeat. That is unacceptable and shows that the Oyston family still have not seen the error of their ways.
This was no act of benevolence. Just a couple of days ago, the Oystons applied to have Jeremy’s defence struck out and to increase their claim for damages from £25,000 to £250,000. These are not the actions of people who have realised that they simply should never have started such damaging litigation in the first place. The fact that the Oystons have been left with a very hefty bill for all costs suggests that they had no option but to drop a suit that need never have been brought. This appears to be a case of the Oystons acting in their own best interests rather than those of the club or its supporters.
Pursuing “a life-long fan” through the courts in this unprecedented way could never be “in the best interests of the club or wider support base.” Litigation against supporters is a major reason why fans are boycotting the club in their thousands, many having vowed never to return until the Oystons have gone.
BST has repeatedly told the Oystons that they must desist from all civil litigation against the club’s supporters. We believe they have missed the opportunity to take a positive lead in bringing to an end to the distress and hardship that the threat of legal action entails. The official statement from the club reads like a blatant attempt to take credit from today’s defeat. That is unacceptable and shows that the Oyston family still have not seen the error of their ways.
:crazy: 
:devil: 
