Blackpool fans honoured over 'tough' boycott fight

Fans regularly staged protests near the club's Bloomfield Road ground

A blue plaque recognising Blackpool fans' fight against their former owners has been unveiled.

The supporters instigated an unwavering four-year boycott of the club during the Oyston family's turbulent reign, which resulted in change at the League One side.

Blackpool, a Premier League side in 2010-11, had appeared in free-fall with three relegations in five seasons.

The plaque was unveiled at the Armfield Club where fans would gather near the ground but not go to the game. It was officially opened by the son of Blackpool legend Jimmy Armfield.

Andy Higgins, chairman of the Blackpool Supporters' Club, said: "It was simmering from 2012 when they started taking a lot of money out of the club and it started to go to rack and ruin.

"The boycott kicked in about 2015 so that was 75% of the fans that boycotted.

"So we went from 10,000 attendances to 2,000.

"It was tough - some people boycotted and never went back. They never saw any more games."

He recalled how one newspaper described it as "one of the most well-orchestrated boycotts in the history of football".

Christine Seddon, chairwoman of the supporters' club, said: "It's an amazing story.

"It's a true story and it's ours so I am very proud to be a member of the tangerine army."

Andy Higgins said the boycott and battle were "tough"

Former England defender Armfield, who played a club record 627 times for Blackpool, has a statue outside Bloomfield Road.

His son John Armfield told BBC North West Tonight: "The supporters were crucial to my father.

"He was a supporter when he first came to Blackpool in 1940. He supported the team right until the day he passed away.

"He lived in this community. The community mattered to him.

"The people mattered to him."

The plaque was unveiled at The Armfield Club where fans went before boycotted games