Blackpool face possible Football League action after being charged for misconduct following end-of-season fan protest and invasion

Blackpool's final Championship match against Huddersfield was called off shortly after half-time after fans staged a sit-down protest on the pitch

Blackpool supporters protest in the centre circle which forced the game against Huddersfield to be abandoned (EMPICS Sports)

Blackpool have been charged by the Football League for failing to fulfil a fixture after their Sky Bet Championship game with Huddersfield had to be abandoned.

The game on the final day of the season on May 2 was called off in the 48th minute after Blackpool fans staged a protest in the centre circle, with the score at 0-0.

The Football League board has decided that result should stand and have levied a charge at the Seasiders which will be heard by a football disciplinary commission.

Referee Mick Russell was forced to take the players off the pitch with the score at 0-0 and, after the game was held up for more than an hour, the decision was taken to call it off altogether.

As a result the Seasiders are charged with a breach of rule 31.1, which states: "Any club failing to fulfil its fixture obligations in respect of any match under the jurisdiction of the League on the appointed date, or dates, or causing the board to suspend any fixture, shall be deemed guilty of misconduct, unless the circumstances giving rise to such failure are outside the control of the club and could not have been reasonably foreseen or reasonably anticipated and remedied prior to the match."

Blackpool could face further sanctions from the Football Association for failing to control the crowd.

Although awarding Blackpool - already relegated to League One - a point, the league will review its regulations for future games which are abandoned in similar circumstances while also considering ordering refunds for the 2,287 Huddersfield fans who made the journey across the Pennines.

The ruling means Huddersfield finish the season in 16th with 55 points while Blackpool register 26, the joint lowest points tally since the second tier was expanded to 24 teams in 1988.

The Terriers, who would have finished above West Yorkshire rivals Leeds had they been awarded a win, are keen for their fans to be refunded.

Chief executive Nigel Clibbens said on the club's official website: "Our final game of the season was played, and ended, in extraordinary circumstances, which nobody at Huddersfield Town wants to see happen again.

"The representations we made to the Football League on the matter of this game were carefully and properly considered by the board.

"We strongly focused on the position of our supporters, who bought tickets for the match and travelled in good faith but didn't see a full game through no fault of their own.

"We will now cooperate fully with the FDC and, until that process is complete, it's inappropriate to comment further on the matter of compensation.

"Now that the Football League has made its decision on the result, Huddersfield Town is looking to move on and continue preparations for the 2015-16 Championship season.

"It's great we can do this on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run that has resulted in the club's best finishing league position for 15 years."

PA