Blyth Spartans diehards plan boycott to protest club's plight

A Blyth Spartans supporters group are planning a boycott of this weekend’s FA Trophy tie against Stockton Town as they protest against the club’s hierarchy.

The Croft Park club were officially taken taken over by the Winners Worldwide group - led by Tyneside businessman Irfan Liaquat - in May this year after they agreed a deal with former chairman Tony Platten.

However, after suffering relegation from the National League North, Spartans now sit in the Northern Premier League relegation zone after the appointment of former Newcastle United winger Nolberto Solano and a poor summer of recruitment failed to spark any improvement.

Former Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale took permanent charge in the aftermath of Solano’s departure in early September and has guided his new side to league wins against Workington and Stockton.

However, with the famous FA Cup giantkillers now firmly in the midst of a battle against consecutive relegations, the Blyth’s Green Army supporters group have called for action.

A statement released on Wednesday read: “I’m sure that you can understand that we’ve all been bombarded with several suggestions and ideas ahead of this weekend, and we’ve had plenty of people asking us to arrange ‘official’ boycotts and or protests, while also being asked by some to try and prevent a boycott or protest taking place and encourage people to still attend home matches.

“Ultimately though across the entire fanbase, it’s very clear that we all have a lot of concerns about the running of the football club and the direction in which it’s going.

“To demonstrate the seriousness and urgency of the matter, we are advocating that supporters boycott this Saturday’s home game against Stockton Town.”

The statement went on to encourage Spartans supporters to support other clubs across the local non-league scene by attending Northern League and Northern Alliance fixtures, with Blyth Town’s home clash with Tow Law Town suggested as one option.

However, the supporters group also stressed they felt now was the right time to show their displeasure and felt the proposed boycott was ‘course of action that had to take’.

“For some this may some like a bit of a drastic step and for others, simply boycotting is not enough,” read the statement. “We respect everyone has different opinions on the matter and even for ourselves, this is a difficult course of action to take. Blyth Spartans is in our blood and the idea of actively missing a matchday at Croft Park is a strange feeling.

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“However this is a course of action we feel as though we have to take. False promises have been made, supporters, former players and volunteers have all been disrespected and the football club have maintained a wall of silence for months – and now is the time to take action.”

A number of Spartans supporters have already shown their displeasure in recent weeks and a crowd of just 477 was on hand to witness last weekend’s home defeat against Basford United. That represented a seasonal low and was marked the lowest attendance for a Saturday home fixture in nine years and only the second time a Saturday attendance had dipped below the 500-mark during that time.

Speaking after the Basford game, Spartans manager Stockdale revealed he spoke with supporters following the loss and admitted he understood why some fans would stay away given the struggles his side have suffered in recent weeks.

“Yes I do (need supporters at games), and that’s why I went up to speak to them (after the game),” he said in the aftermath of the defeat.

“But I can’t control them and their frustrations and sometimes they will disagree with what I say - and that’s fine. That’s why I spoke to them today because they deserve it. I just thanked them for coming because I knew people had stayed away.

“If we could get it rocking, it would be great but if we aren’t putting it on the pitch, what’s the point in having it rocking.

“It’s a vicious circle because we need to prove to the fans, which I said a couple of weeks ago when we started to win a couple of games, why are they going to come and watch that? I’m struggling watching it because people don’t listen, people aren’t wanting to do the dirty, hard stuff.”

Chronicle Live have approached Blyth Spartans for comment.