Carlisle United boss Chris Beech has thanked supporters for continuing to back the Blues even though they cannot attend games in person.

The head coach spoke as the Cumbrians confirmed they have made £25,000 from iFollow streaming so far this season.

Beech said such support was appreciated.

He also paid tribute to all those helping spread United’s message during the Covid-19 crisis, including the local media.

“I often say to the lads in team talks that there might not be anybody out there to help you, but they’re at home cheering you on,” Beech said.

“We know the fans are there and that’s why it’s vital that we continue to try to represent the community to the best of our ability.

“A winning team is what our fans look to support. It’s just a shame they can’t share these current experiences with us, but they’re doing their best to keep in touch with us with the media.

“The News & Star has been brilliant, BBC Cumbria is whacking it out there on the airwaves, the TV are there and, of course, we have iFollow.

“That’s brilliant because it means we have fans seeing us, and that’s massive for all of us.

 “Thank you for the support, that’s all we can say.”

United say they can expect to earn about £100,000 from iFollow streaming if current patterns are followed throughout the 2020/21 league campaign.

They say such backing is appreciated, although it still works out as less than a fifth of the matchday income they would earn in a normal season.

Beech added: “The younger players are constantly on Twitter and Instagram and social media, so they see all of that [online support] and it’s good that we know the support is there.

“Obviously we’d prefer all of the fans to be here, because we want to share our experiences with them.

“Just imagine how good it would have been to have fans here for the Barrow game, and for other games we’ve had here. I remember the scenes at Mansfield [last season] when we equalised in the last minute of the game, and sharing those moments is what this sport is all about.

“However, it is what it is and the second-best thing we can do at the moment is know that we have people watching on iFollow. The numbers are great, because this is a big club isn’t it?

“The iFollow and media interest shows how much people care. I’m very grateful for any support I get from any area, whether it’s someone trying to do something to help, or supporters wishing you well, or staff going beyond their normal parameters to help you to get tree points. It all matters.”