BLACKPOOL FC this week revealed that their new shirt sponsors for next season will be Electricity Direct -- Britain's leading independent electricity retailer.

Manager Steve McMahon and the club's directors joined players at Bloomfield Road to launch the new shirts carrying the Electricity Direct logo.

Club chairman Karl Oyston said: "We are delighted that Electricity Direct has agreed to team up with Blackpool. Together we make a winning combination.

"This deal is great news for Blackpool, enabling us to power ahead into the Second Division with one of the UK's most powerful companies behind us."

Electricity Direct's managing director Simon Paul said: "Like Blackpool we have an electrifying team with the energy and determination to achieve even greater things over the coming year.

"When the new stadium opens we'll be supplying the electricty, which will save the club money, and we are looking for more ways to work together in the future.

"In the meantime we wish Blackpool every success in the coming season. We have some enthusiastic fans among our staff and we'll be at every match cheering on the players."

Blackpool's three-match tour of Scotland, last week, produced a win, a draw and a defeat. After beating Ayre 2-0, the Seasiders drew 1-1 with Partick and then lost 2-1 to Clyde as a result of a controversial 70th-minute penalty.

Clyde had gone ahead in the 12th minute and increased their lead with the penalty before Brett Ormerod scored in the 82nd minute.

The season-opening home game against Reading on August 11 will be all-ticket and the tickets went on sale today (Thursday) at the club's open day.

Bournemouth have allocated Blackpool 800 tickets for the away game on August 18. They are priced at £12 for adults and £5 for under-l8s and OAPs and will go on sale to season ticket holders only on Saturday, August 11, between 4.45pm and 6pm, on production of Voucher AA. Any remaining tickets will go on general sale on Tuesday, August 14, at 9am. Coach travel will also be available.