Carlisle United fans earned the club the fourth highest amount of revenue in League Two from iFollow, the Blues have revealed.

The Cumbrians made just over £340,000 from the live streaming service over the course of the league campaign.

The online service was a lifeline for both supporters and club in a season when most games were played behind closed doors.

United, in an official update, said there were 44,000 paid streams of their 46 league games in 2020/21.

That was the fourth highest in the division, with the Blues claiming the second-highest figure for home games – only Bolton attracting more – and the seventh highest for away games.

United have also revealed that their income from away games is “far more” than what they would normally make from commission from away match tickets.

Chief executive Nigel Clibbens said the figures show the extent to which iFollow helped United mitigate some of the £1.2m income they lose in 2020/21 because of the pandemic.

He described the service as a “crucial flow of income” and added on United’s website: “The support has been brilliant, even through the second half of the season when results have not been what we would want.

“With two games every week for a prolonged period of time, the cost to fans of watching every game soon starts to mount up.  

“A massive thank you goes to everyone who has backed the team in this way. We are very grateful. It’s been vital and it has been a real success.”

United said they made about £240,000 from streams of home games and £100,000 from away games.

The away game watched the most by Blues fans was the trip to Harrogate in February, which saw 1,798 paid streams.

The most popular home game was January’s clash with Exeter, which attracted 1,422.

On away matches, meanwhile, Clibbens added: “Over the whole season, each away game earned us on average around £4,300, after our payments were made to the home teams.

“This is far more than our away ticket commission during a normal season.”

It is yet to be clarified exactly how the iFollow service will continue in the 2021/22 season, when it is hoped normal crowds will return to grounds.