Blackpool relegated with six games still to play after miserable campaign

Blackpool have been relegated to Sky Bet League One with six games still to play, just four years after a season in the Premier League.

The Tangerines did not play on Easter Monday but are consigned to the third tier of English football, for the first time since promotion in 2006-07, following Rotherham’s win against Brighton which left them 19 points adrift of the club in 21st placed Fulham.

It concludes a disastrous season for Lee Clark's men which began with just eight contracted players under then-manager Jose Riga, and chairman Karl Oyston subjected to an FA investigation over claims he sent abusive texts to supporters.

They lost their first six games of the campaign and did not win until October 3; their failure to beat Bolton on Easter Saturday made it 12 matches on the bounce without a victory, a run which all but sealed their relegation fate which confirmed on Monday.

The Seasiders were promoted to the Premier League via the play-offs under Ian Holloway in 2010 and were relegated on the final day of the following season.

The race to leave the Championship at the other end remains as close as ever, with Bournemouth - who are now top – Norwich City, Watford and Derby County all winning.

Just two points separate the leaders, who came back from 2-0 down to beat Birmingham 4-2, and Middlesbrough, beaten 2-0 at Watford, in fourth.

League One

Nothing is settled in League One but Preston North End are now eight points clear in the second automatic promotion place, although they have played a game more than third-placed Milton Keynes Dons.

Yeovil are 13 points adrift of safety with five games left to play and will go down if they don’t beat Notts County at Huish Park on Saturday.

League Two

The race for the final two play-off places in League Two tightened up with Stevenage winning at Cheltenham and Newport and Plymouth both losing.

A solitary point now separates sixth-placed Stevenage and Exeter City in 10th, while the same margin stands between leaders Burton and second-placed Shrewsbury.

The bottom four – Cheltenham, Tranmere, Hartlepool and Carlisle United – all lost.