Blackpool fan who watched Saturday's win against Northampton Town from the hill behind Sixfields posts picture of his day on social media

Until Covid restrictions are relaxed later this month, games continue to be played behind closed doors but that didn’t stop a group of 12 Pool fans from watching Saturday’s 3-0 win from a vantage point behind one of the goals.

Neil Speight made the short trip from Biddenham, near Bedford, with his two daughters, while they were also joined by a group of nine others.

Their chants were clearly audible throughout the afternoon while the group were also spotted by the Blackpool fans watching on iFollow from home.

Come the final whistle, the fans were also the talk of the directors’ box which included owner Simon Sadler, director Brett Gerrity, chief executive Ben Mansford, chief commercial officer Linton Brown and secretary Nick Horne.

“It was a great day,” Neil told The Gazette.

“It was nice to see some live football for a change, albeit from a distance!

“My two girls loved it and the gang of lads who’d come down on the train were on good form as well.

“Fingers crossed for the play-offs now.”

Head coach Neil Critchley and his players even marched over to that corner of the ground to applaud the supporters at the final whistle.

During his post-match interview, Critchley thanked the Seasiders for their support on Saturday and hopes to see more of them soon.

“That was a fantastic moment,” Critchley told The Gazette.

“I’ve got to be honest, I didn’t notice them until I walked onto the pitch but I did hear them at the end.

“It’s amazing how many times after games a member of my staff will ask if I heard this or that or saw something, but I never do.

“It was only when I walked on the pitch at full-time when I saw them up there, but it was brilliant and a really nice feeling to see them on the hill.

“Wherever they’re from, we thank them for being here and we thank them for their support. It was an amazing effort.

“I’m just glad we won the game and got the three points, although I’m not sure if they saw the goals! They might have seen the two at the other end.

“I think it was just a spur of the moment thing for the players to walk over to them, I just saw them shouting towards the top corner and I honestly didn't know what they were shouting at.

“It was a great moment and hopefully in a few weeks time we can hopefully get a few more in.”

With the Seasiders requiring just one point from their final two games to confirm their top six place, that raises the prospect of fans returning to Bloomfield Road in greater numbers in the play-offs.

Under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, 10,000 fans will be allowed to attend sporting events from May 17 onwards, or alternatively 25 per cent of your capacity - whichever is lower.

In Blackpool’s case, a quarter of Bloomfield Road’s capacity is 4,334.

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