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Jimmy Armfield: Blackpool match cancelled, but tributes to club legend continue | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Match day tributes to former England captain Jimmy Armfield at Blackpool FC are continuing despite Saturday's match being cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch. | |
Armfield, who made a club record 627 appearances for the Tangerines, died of cancer aged 82 on Monday. | Armfield, who made a club record 627 appearances for the Tangerines, died of cancer aged 82 on Monday. |
Tributes including a minute's applause had been planned for inside the club's Bloomfield Road stadium. | |
But the match against Charlton Athletic was called off shortly after 14:00 GMT. | |
A pre-match wreath laying ceremony continued as planned near Armfield's statue, while the Jimmy Armfield Stand remained open for supporters to enter the ground. | |
Sections of Blackpool supporters have recently boycotted home games in protest against the club's ownership. | Sections of Blackpool supporters have recently boycotted home games in protest against the club's ownership. |
However, many were expected to attend in honour of the club legend, with proceeds from the match due to be passed to the town's Trinity Hospice, where Armfield died. | |
Other grounds across England were also expected to join in a minute's applause. | |
Some Tangerines supporters have been at odds with club owners the Oyston family for years. | |
Blackpool won promotion to the Premier League in 2010 under them, but dropped back to League Two within five years. | Blackpool won promotion to the Premier League in 2010 under them, but dropped back to League Two within five years. |
Fans have staged demonstrations, match boycotts and social media campaigns over the way the family have run the club. | |
Speaking before the match was cancelled, Blackpool manager Gary Bowyer said: "I'm fully aware of everything that goes on at this football club, but for one day only I think it's right that everybody puts [those issues] aside." | |
Regarding fans who may still stay away, he said: "That's their decision and I respect that decision. But we're talking about an unbelievable man here. He was Mr Blackpool. | Regarding fans who may still stay away, he said: "That's their decision and I respect that decision. But we're talking about an unbelievable man here. He was Mr Blackpool. |
"For one game, people can come and pay their tributes to Jimmy Armfield. They'll never get another opportunity to do it." | "For one game, people can come and pay their tributes to Jimmy Armfield. They'll never get another opportunity to do it." |
Christine Seddon, chairman of the Blackpool Supporters Trust, said the group would lay a wreath at Armfield's statue outside the ground and observe a minute's silence. | |
She said it was "very much up to each individual" to decide if they wanted to then attend the match. | She said it was "very much up to each individual" to decide if they wanted to then attend the match. |
"Jimmy Armfield was very upset by the problems that have gone on, but he understood all sides, I think, and he was a man of principle. | "Jimmy Armfield was very upset by the problems that have gone on, but he understood all sides, I think, and he was a man of principle. |
"He would want people to do what they think is right." | "He would want people to do what they think is right." |
Armfield was capped 43 times by England, 15 of them as captain, and later managed Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United. | Armfield was capped 43 times by England, 15 of them as captain, and later managed Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United. |
He trained as a journalist after his playing career and was a BBC radio commentator for more than 35 years. | He trained as a journalist after his playing career and was a BBC radio commentator for more than 35 years. |