For three seasons, between 2009 and 2012, the name of Blackpool Football Club found itself back at the cutting edge of the English game.
The former employers of the legendary Sir Stanley Matthews, most renowned for winning one of the great F.A. Cup finals, had long slipped off even the casual radar of all but a loyal band of Tangerines.
That 1953 Wembley triumph, forever to be known as ‘The Matthews Final’ despite Stan Mortensen’s hat-trick which sealed a momentous 4-3 comeback victory against Bolton Wanderers, remains Blackpool’s only major honour.
Nevertheless, that landmark occasion happened during twenty-two post-Second World War seasons in which the Seasiders were a fixture among this country’s highest class.
From being an accepted part of the elite clique, the club’s 1971 relegation into the second tier – four years after suffering the same fate before a subsequent recovery – precipitated a slump which included three spells playing in the Football League’s bottom division.
It is only twelve years ago that Steve McMahon dragged Blackpool out of the old Division Three. Six seasons later, Simon Grayson would guide the club up another level, before the arrival of Ian Holloway in 2009 had a galvanising effect that even the most optimistic denizen of Bloomfield Road could not have predicted.
Scarred by an unhappy six months in charge at Leicester City, and having spent a year wondering if another managerial opening would come his way, Holloway was afforded a fresh chance by the sea. Vowing to be true to his football principles, which are based around an open and attacking brand of play, the Bristolian produced a team to capture the imagination.
It wasn’t merely Blackpool’s swashbuckling nature which was attracting headlines, but their ability to win games. It was entirely apt that their successful negotiation of the 2010 Championship play-offs featured a 4-3 win at Nottingham Forest, and was completed by virtue of emerging the right side of five goal thriller against Cardiff City at Wembley.
In a worrying portent for some of the in-house bickering that lay in wait, preparation for Blackpool’s first term in the Premier League was disrupted by a dispute between the club’s bosses and a group of players – the most prominent being key midfielder Charlie Adam – regarding payment of promotion bonuses. That falling out wasn’t resolved until over three months into their epochal season.
Chairman Karl Oyston’s desire to bank the riches that came with his club’s exalted status left Holloway short of the necessary funds to compete for essential signings. Such was the lack of Oyston’s visible backing for his manager that right up until the eve of Blackpool’s opening match at Wigan Athletic rumours were circling concerning Holloway’s future.
Indeed, of the twelve bargain basement purchases who would eventually arrive, half were rushed through the door in the three days preceding the ground breaking first Premier League fixture. Four of the remaining six sneaked under the transfer window with FIFA readying the key to bolt it shut.
Against a backdrop of perpetual uncertainty, the size of Holloway’s feat in moulding a side which stayed faithful to their free spirited playing ethic, while competing fiercely with England’s strongest clubs, cannot be under stated.
Blackpool’s last day demise however, defined their campaign in microcosm. Holloway’s side fearlessly took the game to Manchester United at Old Trafford, and led 2-1, before ultimately familiar defensive short-comings were exposed. The Tangerines’ 4-2 defeat consigned them to an instant Championship return – they finished just one point below 17th placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With the club, and the manager in particular, completely deflated by the cruel end to a season which included notable wins against Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool (twice), and at Newcastle United, the prospect of their dusting themselves down and being ready for another promotion tilt was considered unlikely.
A staggering player turnover only added to the weight of the next task which confronted Holloway – that of lifting his forlorn troops to go all over again. That Blackpool were 90 minutes from earning a place back in the top-flight just twelve months after the crushing blow of relegation – they lost a tight 2012 play-off final against West Ham United – was an achievement to rank alongside the eventual success of two years previous.
Great article, reflecting the nature of the Oyston fuelled decline of a proud football club. The self proclaimed non football fan has leeched all of the money from premier league TV, parachute payments and sales of players who were acquired by Ian Holloway. His misguided one man mission to put footballers on minimum wage ( he offered Robbie Fowler £90 per week !!) is reflecting on Blackpool’s reputation and making them a poison chalice for managers and players alike. At the eventual end of his tenure Oyston will walk away a very wealthy man from the game which he claims is poisoned by greed. Blackpool football club will be left as a shadow of its Holloway best, stripped of its prize playing assets in a state of terminal failure. This level of abuse by one family of such a loved and historic sporting institution is an absolute disgrace and the FA should examine the parachute policy which is supposed to ensure the survival of relegated clubs, not hasten their destruction.
Soo True. Oyston has ruined our club. If Tom Ince leaves we will only have 11 first team players….. Times are tough at Blackpool Fc
agreed ko ruining our club
Some conspiracy theorists even believe that Oyston is actively trying to get the club relegated as revenge for all the “abuse” that he and his family have taken from fans over the years. According to this theory, he believes that he has never been thanked for rescuing the club from the doldrums and therefore he wants to take it back there, having increased his vast personal fortune in the process. This would certainly help explain the asset-stripping and the embarrassing wage offers made to players, both old and new.
o.a.p from pool now live in London supporter for 70yrs…….going down is on the cards the oystons are estate agents not really football men………the 1st 3or 4 games crucial if they lose them they will start bottom and stay there….like q.p.r. in premier. there are lots of very good players in lower div. who could have been considered……another problem new manager been out of football too long will have only a limited knowledge of other teams / players,
KO works to the theory that labour supply is greater than demand (more people want to be managers or players than there are places) therefore he can pay them less than they are worth. There will always be someone willing to accept a lower offer. Agree with the comments above and the article. So depressing. I don’t really want the season to start – ever !!
Karl Oyston has managed to turn Blackpool FC from a “breath of fresh air” into a bad smell that nobody want’s to be near….Tragic.
Karl is the right man for the job. We are stable financially. I do not wish to see us do a Portsmouth.
How can you claim we are stable, we won the most expensive game in football and then gone from being a breath of fresh air in the premier league to favourites to go down to league one, he’s shown the club nothing, holloway worked miracles, koko does not give a toss, he’s had his money
To be honest part of me wants to see Tom stat until the end of the season and walk away for free, therefore not lining KOKOs pocket. If only we could all chip in and buy the club eh?!
The Oystain family. Lets take a look! Owen Oyston a convicted rapist and personal acquaintance of Stuart Hall and Bill Roache, need I say more. Karl Oyston the bitter, silver spoon progeny, serial adulterer and bankrupt. Why are these people allowed to run football clubs???
Exactly.
As a Pool supporter for decades, I conclude Oyston and the fans deserve each other. I warned against buying cheaper season tickets before the transfer window ends in August. Instead thousands swallowed Koko’s sop and squandered potential leverage for quality signings. Enjoy the drop all the way to division three.
I have been a supporter on and off for over 30 yrs. I stopped watching shortly after the demise of losing to Bradford in the 2nd leg playoff. The reason wasn’t a football reason it was because then the oystons were bleeding our club dry. Anyone remember the ‘buy a player fund’ ? Oystons would allow the gate receipts for 3 games to purchase a player. We bought Andy Watson for about 90-100 grand. He scored a brace in one of his first starts in a 3-3 draw at Preston. When he was later sold on for approx 200k what happened to that money???????? It disappeared. This was in my eyes a disgrace. It has happened all along with some of the great players we have had at bloomers. To name a few, Alan Wright, Trevor Sinclair, Brett Ormerod and Charlie Adam.
The plain fact of the matter is that the oystons don’t give a care in the world about the loyal fans. This season over 11k have bought season tickets. At the current moment in time we don’t have enough experienced players for an 11 a side friendly.
When will we ever learn?
I’ve bought my 8 yr old son a season ticket for the last 3 seasons as I wanted him to experience the thrill of watching BFC play the best teams and have an attacking style of football. He let the best manager we have ever had leave because he wasn’t prepared to back him.
The only loyalty he has is to his family and trying to screw everything out of this club before he sells it on.
I’m very very disappointed but not surprised. Division 1 is on the cards if the 8m from Tom Ince sale goes the same way.
Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
Your absolutely right he is clearly bleeding this club dry, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves very shortly.
Maybe he does have a heart as he has charged £195 for the season ticket this year, surely because he didn’t have the heart to charge full whack for us to watch the reserves.
Tom Ince will go, Paul Ince will shortly follow when he realises there is no money from the sale of his son.
If I’m wrong ill bare my arse outside pricebusters window
Please KO just go