Middlesbrough football fans paid their respects to the two constables killed in the head-on crash on the A66 in a minute-long applause held before today's match.Supporters applauded Pc Matthew Blades and Pc Tom Clough, who died while on duty last weekend, before the 12.30pm home game against West Bromwich Albion today. Pictures of the two officers were displayed on screens in Middlesbrough FC's home ground Riverside Stadium, as players and supporters paid tribute in a round of applause.Both officers were members of Cleveland Police, the force serving Middlesbrough and the wider Teesside area. Pc Blades, 37, and Pc Clough, 38, were killed when their police vehicle was involved in a collision with a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the A66 at South Bank last Saturday.Three teenagers and two other men also died in the devastating crash.Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Cahill, 23, and Jakub Matusiak, 23, were also killed.The King's condolences have also been sent to the families of the two officers, it is understood. Pictures of the two officers were displayed on screens in Middlesbrough FC's home ground Riverside Stadium, as players and supporters paid tribute in a round of applause Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion players paid respects to PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough who lost their lives in a head on collision last weekAhead of today's match, Middlesbrough FC urged supporters to honour the officers and recognise their service to the local community. The club said: 'Immediately before kick-off, we're asking supporters to join us in paying respects to Pc Matthew Blades and Pc Tom Clough, the two Cleveland police officers who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty last weekend.'It added that the tribute was also intended to show appreciation for 'the dedication and hard work of both men' and the wider Cleveland Police force.The club said officers and staff work 'often in challenging and demanding circumstances' to keep residents safe and help people feel secure in their homes and communities.The tribute comes as Cleveland Police continues a major crackdown on alleged organised crime following a series of incidents across the region.The force said on Friday night that around 24 people had been arrested as part of the operation.Four men, aged 35, 25, 40 and 21, were being held on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life after a vehicle crashed into a house in Steele Crescent, Middlesbrough, on Thursday morning.They were also being questioned over alleged arson after a caravan was set alight in Atlee Road on Wednesday morning, as well as over a drugs offence.Police said the four men were in a vehicle stopped by officers on Kingsley Road in Grangetown on Thursday night. PC Matthew Blades, a father of two, was killed when his police vehicle was struck head-on by a VW Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough PC Tom Clough also died in the crash, which occurred around ten seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen had been called off Police at the scene of the fatal crash on the A66 in South Bank near Middlesbrough on SaturdayMeanwhile, detectives confirmed on Friday that they were not linking a house fire which claimed the lives of a seven-year-old girl and her aunt to the A66 crash.Natalie McDonald, 34, and her niece Valentina Foster died after the blaze in Grangetown on Wednesday morning.Four other people were injured in the fire, while two men, aged 23 and 31, remained in custody on suspicion of murder.Hundreds of extra police officers have since been drafted into the area to support colleagues following the series of recent incidents across Middlesbrough and County Durham.Cleveland's Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey described the past week as 'the most tragic' in the area's history as he thanked officers for their work.But he also criticised what he called the 'outdated and ineffective funding system' for policing, saying it disadvantaged Cleveland Police.Mr Storey said his thoughts remained with the families, friends and colleagues of Pc Blades and Pc Clough, describing them as 'selfless, professional and courageous police officers' who were dedicated to serving their communities.He also offered his condolences to those affected by the fatal Grangetown fire.Mr Storey said he had met the policing minister on Friday and had reiterated his call for a better, long-term funding deal to strengthen Cleveland's ability to tackle serious and organised crime.'People in Cleveland have the right to live without the fear of crime,' he said, adding that he understood the 'concern, anger and grief' caused by recent events.He vowed to continue fighting for the funding needed to prevent crime, bring offenders to justice and keep communities safe.