If a picture paints a thousand words then this one (albeit from Tuesday) sums it up. The one comfort that Blackpool could take from this season was that in almost every game they'd played they competed and quite often it was only fine margins that didn't lead to a result. The Seasiders could have played the Norbreck Castle Retirement Society on Saturday and still not done any better. Things are about as bad as they can get.

With no Tony McMahon (who judging by that picture was still sticking his eyeballs back in his sockets) and Joan Oriol and Jose Cubero still missing, Jose Riga was always going to put out a patchwork side. With little quality in the first team, it's tough to find any strength in depth. The names on the subs bench in truth mean very little. Mendy, Mellis, Blackman, Dielna - hardly names we either know or want. When Riga was building the team from the notorious eight earlier in the season, it seemed each player was welcomed with open arms but in hindsight there has been little quality coming through the doors of Bloomfield Road. Whilst the spotlight quite rightly will always shine on Karl Oyston for this season's failings, the players who have come in have not done enough to help the man who supported them.

Little point dwelling on this one. Glen Murray headed home a Jordan Obita cross to give the Royals the lead in the first half. Peter Clarke then diverted Jake Taylor's header into his own net, before Nick Blackman scored an injury-time penalty to seal the points after being brought down by John Lundstram. Ishmael Miller hit the post late on for the Seasiders.

From those scenes of elation at Wembley just a few years ago, most of those faces from that day have now turned their back on the club whilst those left behind shake their heads wondering when this misery will end. It's hard to find any positives at the moment and that's sadly where we're at.

Photo: Action Images

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