Season Review: Blackpool

Blackpool arrived in the Premier League with the noise and fanfare of a Jeremy Kyle hen-do rolling down the south shore.

During a brief but memorable Premier League stint, they added colour and vitality to an often bland campaign. They came, saw and conquered hearts.

Ian Holloway’s rag-tag rabble contained few household names and was constructed on less than the proverbial shoestring. Journeymen like Marlon Harewood and DJ Campbell were signed to an assortment of players who surprisingly gained promotion with little or no top flight pedigree between them. Campbell in particular - with 13 league goals - was a testament to the effervescent managerial abilities of Ian Holloway, who’s man management and motivational abilities filled the side with a bravado rarely displayed in promoted teams.

On paper they should have sank without trace. Tipped to go down by all and sundry, there could have been few pundits who boasted of their accuracy when the Tangerines’ glow finally dimmed. Many sides have arrived in the Premier League and clung on to what they had, scrapping and screaming for existence with little dignity or decorum. Blackpool were different. Decked out in their tangerine strip, there was almost a 1970s Dutch chic about the way they played - ball on the floor, total football - of sorts. Effective with the ball, infectious without it, Blackpool endeared themselves to the neutrals for their willingness to play the game the right way.

The season started in unbelievable fashion when they found themselves 3-0 up at half-time to Wigan Athletic. Two playing hours later they were hammered 6-0 at Arsenal and the rollercoaster continued from there. A league double over Liverpool, including a famous victory at Anfield, was among the season highs of an intrepid adventure. Unfortunately their appeal became their downfall. They lived and died by the sword. ‘We score two, you score three’ was their unintentional methodology and a fondness to attack and fallibility in defence meant too many goals were shipped and points surrendered.

Their approach was refreshing and their stay inadequate. There were few who did not want Holloway’s boys to complete a last day fairytale by staying up at Old Trafford. As it was, that 90 minutes before the champions’ coronation epitomised their stay. After falling a goal behind they fought back through Charlie Adam’s class and a collective desire. But after taking the lead they never convinced they could hold on. An Ian Evatt own goal proved fortune does not always favour the brave as the Seasiders’ then ran out of puff and ultimately succumbed to superior quality, a glorious failure in keeping with the efforts of an admirable season.

The worry now of course is that the side disbands and even with the riches their roam brought, they will eventually be a poorer football side for the experience. Adam is almost certain to leave, so to the impressive David Vaughan, Matt Phillips, Campbell and any other number who caught the eye. The same goes for Holloway, who must be one of the only managers to be a genuine consideration for manager of the year whilst taking a team down. That says it all about the man, and his men. Blackpool truly were one of the great stories of this, or any other Premier League season.



Coach - Ian Holloway: The journalist’s dream. Never short of a sound bite or three, Holloway was unfairly pilloried as a village idiot figure but has undoubtedly proven himself to be a highly capable manager at all levels. From Championship relegation contenders to play-off winners to Anfield conquerors and back again, Holloway deserves maximum recognition and another shot at the big time.


Player of the season - Charlie Adam: The skipper was the inspiration of the side, a player who used brains rather than brawn as the catalyst for others to play. All dropped shoulders, shimmies and feints, combined with a deft left peg, Adam scored 12 goals and continued to lead his side with heart when a January move failed to materialise.


Turning Point - Blackpool 2-3 Manchester United: For an hour they gave the champions the run around and had a penalty been correctly given after an hour, much at both ends of the table could have been different. They only picked up another 11 points in 15 games, sliding from 12th to the Championship.