Blackpool's players 'shocked' and 'disappointed' by Gary Brabin's surprise exit

Pool's number two was absent from the touchline for Saturday's 2-2 draw against Southend United having handed in his resignation on Thursday.

Terry McPhillips, speaking after the weekend's game, revealed personal reasons were behind his departure.

“We were a little bit disappointed, I’m not going to lie," Spearing said.

“He’s done it for his own personal reasons, he knows what they are.

“He came in on Thursday and told us he would be leaving for personal reasons at home, so we wish him all the best.

“We thanked him for all the effort he’s put in this season, he’s been outstanding for the lads on and off the field. He’s been great.

“The lads are a little bit disappointed but we have to carry on.

“It was a little bit of a shock, we had no idea until after training. But he came back and told us he had to leave.”

Spearing was speaking after Blackpool fought back twice to snatch what could prove to be a crucial point come the end of the season.

Their equaliser came courtesy of Taylor Moore's 96th-minute own goal, which sparked wild scenes of celebration among the sellout crowd.

It was a fitting way to end what had been dubbed Blackpool's homecoming game, with fans ending their boycott to mark the end of the Oyston regime.

Spearing added: “The emotion of the last four, five or six years of people not being in this ground, to support their local team and they’ve come back with 15,000 or so, the lads can only say thank you.

“The atmosphere was electric from the start, you could feel how positive it was and they just wanted us to do well.

“I’ve been here just over a year and a bit and I’ve been used to coming out to crowds of 3,500 in the cold, windy Bloomfield Road and looking at empty seats.

“But we’ve had to get on with that and we’ve adapted to it. You know what? We’ve done well, hats off to us, I’m very proud of what the lads have done.

“But to walk out in front of 15,000 fans backing us to the last second was outstanding.”