Referee Ben Toner stood down from Blackpool game days after Oystons court verdict

An EFL spokesman said the change was after 'increased attention'

Ben Toner has been replaced by Jon Moss (Getty)

Referee Ben Toner has been removed from Blackpool’s League One match against Portsmouth days after the Lancashire side’s owners, the Oystons, were found to have operated an “illegitimate stripping” of the club.

Toner’s name has caused a lot of amusement over social media given the findings against the Oyston family, although the EFL said he had been replaced due to the “increased scrutiny” on the game following the court findings.

PGMOL, the referee’s association, are responsible for deciding who officiates what rather than the EFL and as a result group 1 referee Jon Moss, who is an elite Premier League official, will take charge of the fixture at Bloomfield Road.

An EFL spokesman said: “As a result of the increased attention surrounding this weekend’s League One fixture between Blackpool and Portsmouth, PGMOL [Professional Game Match Officials Limited] has determined it would be appropriate for a select group 1 referee to take charge of proceedings at Bloomfield Road.

“The previously selected official will instead fill a vacancy that has a arisen at Brunton Park for the League Two match between Carlisle United and Yeovil Town as the referee who was scheduled to officiate sustained an injury during Bury’s game with Stoke City Under-21s on Wednesday evening.”

On Monday Owen and Karl Oyston were ordered to pay £31m to buy out the minority shareholder Valeri Belokon because of “fundamental breaches” they’ve made as directors.

The club was put up for sale on Friday.