Fans of clubs ranging from Liverpool to Middlesbrough, as well as non-league teams contributed to a fund to help Mr Knight’s legal costs, which was backed by celebrities like Countdown star Rachel Riley.
The Oystons sued fans who posted complaints online about the way they ran the club.
Club chairman Karl Oyston was later fined £40,000 by the FA for sending abusive texts to a fan.
Tim Fielding, another of the fans sued by the Oystons during the boycott campaign against their ownership said: “Unfortunately, Frank never recovered from the stresses that were put upon him during that time.”
He said Mr Knight was “a true Blackpool fan willing to put his neck on the line in taking the Oystons to task over the West Ham ticket debacle with the Football Ombudsman”.
The club later apologised to fans over a ticketing mix-up which saw scores of West Ham fans sitting among Blackpool supporters in the 2012 Championship play-off final.