The crisis at Blackpool football club has developed into an apparent rift within the Oyston family who own it, as the chairman Karl Oyston has suddenly left the club. He has been replaced as chairman by Natalie Christopher, 32, understood to be Owen Oyston’s daughter, who was appointed as a director two weeks ago.

Blackpool, majority owned by Owen Oyston, announced his son’s departure, after nearly 20 years as a director, in a brief statement on the website, adding that Karl has also left his positions in the Oyston property, publishing and other businesses: “Natalie Christopher has been appointed the new chairwoman of Blackpool Football Club,” the statement said. “Mr Karl Oyston is no longer chairman or director of the club or any other Oyston Group company.”

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Karl, 50, and his father Owen, 84, are struggling to comply with a High Court order to pay the club’s minority shareholder, Valeri Belokon, £31.27m for his shares after they were judged by Mr Justice Smith in November to have “illegitimately stripped” the club of millions of pounds following its 2010 promotion to the Premier League.

The Oystons paid the first £10m to Belokon by 4 December as ordered but missed Wednesday’s deadline to pay the second £10m instalment. The Oystons are understood to have applied to the court for more time to pay. Their application is due to be heard on Monday. Normunds Malnacs, an executive working for Belokon, has said they are prepared to agree to “a week-long extension with certain conditions” but no longer. The court has the power to appoint a receiver to take possession of the Oystons’ assets, including the football club, if they fail to meet the payments.

Karl Oyston has been a Blackpool director since August 1998 and was lauded for a time, overseeing the Bloomfield Road ground’s rebuilding and the team’s promotion. He was also a Football League director for five years in two stints, last stepping down in 2015.

Supporters, however, have for years protested against the Oystons’ regime and boycotted matches, particularly focusing on the family paying millions to their own companies, a view vindicated by Smith’s judgment.