Blackpool Football Club have announced that supporter Tony Johnson has tragically passed in the early hours of Monday morning after injuries sustained in a mass brawl following the Tangerines' 0-0 draw with Burnley on Saturday.
With the game having petered out to a stalemate, reports and updates began to emerge hours after the game via Lancashire Police that a man had been critically injured at around 7pm, just two hours after the full-time whistle had blown. A man was taken to hospital with a 'life-threatening condition' after the attack outside 'The Manchester' pub, a mere 10-minute walk from their stadium, Bloomfield Road.
'The Manchester' had hosted many of the 3,700 Burnley fans that had made the trip for the Lancashire derby, and at 7pm, around 15 people were said to have been involved in a mass brawl outside the venue, resulting in Johnson being found by officers with a serious head injury. CPR was given, before he was rushed to hospital as a matter of urgency. Tragically, Blackpool Football Club released a statement at around 12:00pm on Monday afternoon, confirming Johnson's death after a short yet brave battle over the weekend.
