Referee halts game and takes players off pitch as fans fight on terraces at ‘friendly’ between Southport and Blackpool | The Sun

BLACKPOOL'S 'friendly' at Southport was halted as rival fans fought on the terraces.

Referee Ben Speedie took players off for 10 minutes as the PA announcer warned the game would be abandoned unless the flare-up stopped.

Players, plus Blackpool chief exec Ben Mansford and secretary Nick Horne, went over in a bid to restore peace before action resumed on 36 minutes.

Trouble had flared in a crowd of 1,451 when a group of young Southport followers strode round to confront fans in the away end.

A few Blackpool supporters then breached the fences – leading to the home fans fleeing back to their section of the Haig Avenue stadium.

The match-day announcer said during the skirmishes: “It makes me very sad to have to make this announcement at a friendly but the referee has stopped the game for 10 minutes.

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“We would like anyone that’s on the terraces to move up to past the halfway line.

"And if anything happens like that again the referee has made it clear he will be abandoning this match, so behave yourselves.”

It was Championship side Blackpool's opening pre-season game and Michael Appleton's first game back in charge- a 2-0 win at the National League North team.

Fans were warned again at half-time – when the playlist reportedly included ‘I Predict a Riot’ by the Kaiser Chiefs.

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And the message was heeded as calm took over on the terraces.

Goals from Republic of Ireland winger CJ Hamilton and Congolese striker Beryly Lubala had put Blackpool in command early on.

Appleton then changed his whole line up for the goalless second period.

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