UPDATED: 'A heart-wrenching sacrifice' - Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool fans urged to boycott FA Cup clash

The Blackburn Rovers Action Group have joined forces with counterparts The Blackpool Supporters Trust and The Tangerine Knights to organise the protest which will take place while the game is in progress.

A joint statement released by the groups said fans will ‘stand shoulder to shoulder’ in protest at the ‘wanton destruction of their clubs’.

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They say that both clubs have been ‘reduced to a shell of their recent and historic glorious past’ under the ownership of the Rao and Oyston families, with fans set to hold the boycott outside of the ground while the fourth round tie is being played.

A statement released by the Rovers Action Group read: “We call on all supporters, including those currently boycotting Ewood Park, to join us and stand in solidarity with the supporters of Blackpool against the destruction of two historic Lancashire football clubs.

“Football supporters have been the lifeblood at clubs up and down the country for generations, ensuring that clubs continue to remain at the epicentre of its local community.

“Supporters remain a constant, whilst owners can pick it up and drop it as they see fit.

“At Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool the two stories are different, however the supporter anguish and fear is identical. Two football clubs destroyed by incompetent and disinterested owners, leaving supporters disengaged with the very thing they have devoted parts of the lives to.

“Supporters of both these clubs, together with other clubs across the country, have been in dialogue for some time regarding co-ordinated protest plans against the football authorities and their lack of will to ensure that supporters remain a part of football.

“We ask supporters not only to consider boycotting the FA Cup fourth round fixture, but to attend Ewood Park and to remain outside in demonstration as the match kicks off, a heart-wrenching sacrifice, yet a powerful message to the powers that be that football supporters have had enough.”

Blackpool are, however, expected to be backed by a 1,000-plus travelling support having asked for an increased ticket allocation.

This will be the second protest by Rovers fans in 2017, having marched from Blackburn town centre to Ewood Park ahead of the home game with Newcastle on January 2, while some fans also staged a sit-in after the final whistle.

That followed two further protests earlier in the season, in home games with Wolves and Brentford. The Wolves fixture in October saw fans arrive in the 18th minute, and leave in the 75th, a nod to the club’s formation in 1875. A month later, for the visit of Brentford, fans held up red cards in protest against the Venky’s on the day that marked six years since they took over the club.

A statement from Blackpool Supporters’ Trust read: “The Trust encourages all Blackburn and Blackpool supporters to not only boycott the fourth round FA Cup match but to demonstrate together outside Ewood Park on match day.

“A ‘more out than in’ protest against the unacceptable running of both clubs will send a powerful message to the football authorities that fans are being disenfranchised and changes in the governance of the game are long overdue. Without the fans there would be no football. These are our clubs and we want them back.”

A Blackburn Rovers Football Club spokesman said: “Our stance remains the same. We respect the fans right to protest and we will, as we always have, facilitate a peaceful protest.

“However, our primary focus is preparing for what should be a very entertaining local derby. We have reduced prices to just £10 for adult season ticket holders, £5 for concessions and £2 for juniors, and advance sales have been encouraging.

“We want the supporters to really get behind the players on the pitch and create an electric FA Cup atmosphere, as we look to progress through to the last 16 of the competition.”