Unreliable History

Coming from the Lancashire holiday resort, there could only be one nickname for the club – “The Pool”. No, sorry, I mean “The Seasiders”. Possibly, the only team that were formed in Stanleys Arms (i.e. The Stanley Arms Hotel) and that was a name that would feature strongly in the future success of the club.

For the first twelve years of the club’s life, they led a nomadic existence moving from ground to ground, before they merged with the South Shore club and settled into Bloomfield Road. Shortly after the move, there was an infestation of fleas in the East Stand and to this day, it is known as the “Scratching Shed”. They toiled away in the Second Division until they were Champions in 1929-30, when they went up to the 1st Division and liked it so much that they stayed for 37 years. Since those days, they have only returned to the top flight for one season in 1970-71. In the 80′ and 90’s, they have slid down the ladder, falling to the bottom rung, but having escaped from Div. 2, they hope to continue their upward mobility.

The FA Cup seemed, for quite a while, to be as fruitless as the League for Blackpool, as they were losing finalists in 1949 and 1951. Having returned North trophyless, it looked like the star wing wizard of dribble, Sir Stanley Matthews, would never hold a winners medal. However, in 1953, it all came right after being 1-3 behind with twenty minutes remaining, Stan produced a mesmerising display of trickery to provide chance after chance for the Pool forwards, which they gleefully accepted to take the Cup 4-3 over Bolton Wanderers. Striker Stan Mortensen (The Blackpool Bombshell) scored a Cup Final hat-trick, but in this classic match, he took second place in what became known as “the Matthews Final” . Stan often joked that if he died before Stan and was buried, the winger would attend and the whole thing would be known as “The Matthews Funeral” !!

Jimmy Armfield, the club’s stalwart left-back, was voted as the best player in that position when he appeared for England in the 1962 World Cup Finals. He has since been employed as a commentator and consultant for the FA advising on the suitability of candidates for the England mangers post.

Blackpool’s best league placing was second in Div.1 in 1956, but the Cup competitions produced more success, with a semi-final appearance in the League Cup in 1962 and a victory in the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1971, being pipped in the final the following season.

The ground at Bloomfield Road is now run down and part of the terracing cannot be used for safety reasons, but jailed Millionaire chairman, Owen Oyston, has a big hat and big plans for the club, including a move to a purpose-built new stadium and hotel/complex to take the club into the 21st Century.  Having taken on former England international Steve McMahon as manager, the Seasiders were unable to move away from the bottom of the Second Division and at the end of season 1999-2000, they were relegated to Division Three.  With few sticks of rock being offered to the ex-Liverpool man when the team were struggling in the 2000-01 season, he pulled them up and got them to the play-offs, where they beat Orient to move up to Division Two.  Investment was needed to ensure that Blackpool is noted for more than just it’s front.

And the Wonga came with promotion to the Premier League in 2010 thanks to Ian Holloway’s inspired management and the sponsorship from a money lending firm that charged inflated interest rates and was called … Wonga.com.  After a bright start, the interest dropped off in the team who played attacking football, but were going down the table as the future didn’t look so rosy for the Oranges.  Relegation followed with a series of managers being poached before Blackpool could rock back into the top flight as they hit the bottom division and have started a gentle climb back up.

FAMOUS PLAYERS: – Sir Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen, Barry Batt, Alan Ball, Jimmy Armfield, Trevor Sinclair, Paul Stewart.

FAMOUS FANS : –  .

 

Club Records


Formed 1887

Turned Professional 1887

Became a Limited Company 1896

Previous names Blackpool St. John’s  =  1887

Previous grounds Raikes Hall Gardens (Pleasure Gardens) = 1887-1897
Athletic Grounds = 1897-1899
Raikes Hall Gardens (Pleasure Gardens) = 1899

Nickname “The SEASIDERS”

Motto “PROGRESS”

Club Colours
[Images courtesy of the wonderful Colours of Football website]
HOME : 

AWAY :

THIRD :


Record Football League Win 7-0  v Preston North End  (Division 1)    01.05.1948
7-0  v Reading  (Division 2)   10.11.1928
7-0  v Sunderland  (Division 1)    05.10.1957

Record Football Premier League Win 4-0  v  Wigan Athletic  (Away)

Record Football League Defeat 1-10  v  Small Heath    (Division 2)     02.03.1901
1-10 v  Huddersfield Town  (Division 1)     13.12.1930 

Record Premier League Defeat 0-6  v  Arsenal   (Away)  

Record Cup Win 10-0  v  Lanerossi Vicenza  (Anglo-Italian Cup)   10.06.1972

Record Fee Paid £1.25 million to Leicester City for Dudley CAMPBELL (2010)

Record Fee Received £6.75 million from Liverpool for Charlie ADAM (2011)

Record Appearances (includes non-league appearances) 569  – Jimmy ARMFIELD  (1952-1971)

Record League Appearances 569  – Jimmy ARMFIELD  (1952-1971)

Record Premier League Appearances 38  –  Ian EVATT  (2010-2011)

Record League goal-scorer 248 – Jimmy HAMPSON   (1927-1938)

Record Premier League goal-scorer 13  –  Dudley CAMPBELL  (2010-2011)

Record all-time goal-scorer 252 – Jimmy HAMPSON   (1927-1938)

Record goal-scorer in a season ??  –  ??  Division ??   (19??-19??)

Record goal-scorer in a League season 45 – Jimmy HAMPSON    Division 2  (1929-1930)

Record goal-scorer in a Premier League season 13  –  Dudley CAMPBELL  (2010-2011)

Most goals scored in a League match 5 – Jimmy HAMPSON  v  Reading   (Division 2)  10.11.1928
5 – Jimmy McINTOSH  v
  Preston North End   (Division 1)    01.05.1948

Record Home Attendance- 38,098  v  Wolverhampton Wanderers    (Division 1)   17.09.1955

Record total of goals in a League season 98  –  Division 2  (1929-1930)

Record total of goals in a Premier League season 55  –   2010-2011

Record League points total 2 points for a win  :  58  –    (1929-1930)  Division 2  (?? games)
3 points for a win  :  86  –    (1984-1985)  Division 4  (?? games)

Record Premier League points total 39  –    (2010-2011)  (38 games)

Most Capped Player while at club 43  –  Jimmy ARMFIELD (England)

Youngest Player Matty KAY  –  16 years and 32 days  v  Scunthorpe United   (Division ??)  13.11.2005

Oldest Player ??  –  ?? years and ?? days  v  ??   (Division ??)  ..

 

Stadium details 

Address :  Bloomfield Road Stadium, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 6JJ

Telephone :  01253 599344
Ticket Office :  01253 599745

Capacity :  17,338
Away Allocation :  2,500
Pitch size :  102.4m x 67.7m  (112 yards  x 74 yards)
Official website :   www.blackpoolfc.co.uk

Directions

There are good directions to the Bloomfield Road Stadium on the Blackpool website and more information on the Away Days website.

Honours


Division One Runners-up  (Top Tier) 1955-1956

Division Two Champions  (Second Tier) 1929-1930

Division Two Runners-up  (Second Tier) 1936-1937, 1969-1970

Division Four Runners-up  (Fourth Tier) 1984-1985

Anglo-Italian Cup Winners 1971

Anglo-Italian Cup Runners-up 1972

FA Cup Winners 1953

FA Cup Finalists 1948, 1951

FA Charity Shield Runners-up 1954

Football League Trophy Winners 2001-2002, 2003-2004

 

Managers


No manager  1896 – 1903 

Tom BARCROFT 1903 – 1909 

Jack COX (Player-Manager) 1909  – 1911

No manager 1911  – 1915

Bill NORMAN 1 August 1918 – 31 May 1923

No manager 31 May 1923 – 5 October 1923

Major Frank BUCKLEY 6 October 1923 – 31 May 1927

Sydney BEAUMONT 1 August 1927 – 31 May 1928

Harry EVANS (Honorary Manager) 1 August 1928 – 31 May 19233

Sandy MacFARLANE 1 July 1933 – 31 July 1935

Joe SMITH 1 August 1935 – 30 April 1958

Ron SUART 1 May 1958 – 1 February 1967

Stan MORTENSEN 1 February 1967 –  April 1969

Harry JOHNSTON (Caretaker) April 1969

Les SHANNON 1 May 1969 – 26 October 1970

Jimmy MEADOWS (Caretaker) 26 October 1970 – 20 December 1970

Bob STOKOE 20 December 1970 – 23 November 1972

No manager 23 November 1972 – 1 January 1973

Harry POTTS 1 January 1973 – 5 May 1976

Allan BROWN 5 May 1976 – 6 February 1978

Bobby SMITH (Caretaker) 6 February 1978 – 7 March 1978

Jimmy MEADOWS (Caretaker) 7 March 1978 – 20 May 1978

Bob STOKOE 20 May 1978 – 17 August 1979

Stan TERNENT 19 September 1979 – 1 February 1980

Freddie SCOTT (Caretaker) February 1980

Alan BALL February 1980

Allan BROWN 1 March 1980 – 31 May 1982

Sam ELLIS 1 June 1982 – 28 March 1989

Jimmy MULLEN  (Caretaker) 28 March 1989 – 20 May 1989

Jimmy MULLEN 20 May 1989 – 30 April 1990

Tom WHITE (Caretaker) 30 April 1990 – 11 June 1990

Graham CARR 11 June 1990 – 30 November 1990

Billy AYRE 30 November 1990 – 10 June 1994

Sam ALLARDYCE 19 July 1994 – 29 May 1996

Gary MEGSON 5 July 1996 – 1 July 1997

Nigel WORTHINGTON 8 July 1997 – 23 December 1999

Mike HENNIGAN/Mike DAVIES (Caretaker) 23 December 1999 – 7 January 2000

Steve McMAHON 7 January 2000 – 6 June 2004

Colin HENDRY 7 June 2004 – 10 November 2005

Simon GRAYSON (Caretaker) 10 November 2005 – 5 June 2006

Simon GRAYSON 5 August 2006 – 23 December 2006

Tony PARKES/Steve THOMPSON (Caretaker) 24 December 2006 – 18 May 2009

Ian HOLLOWAY 21 May 2009 – 3 November 2012

Steve THOMPSON (Caretaker) 3 November 2012 – 7 November 2012

Michael APPLETON 7 November 2012 – 11 January 2013

Steve THOMPSON (Caretaker) 11 January 2013 – 18 February 2013

Paul INCE 18 February 2013 – 21 January 2014

Barry FERGUSON (Caretaker) 21 January 2014 – 3 May 2014

Jose RIGA 11 June 2014 – 27 October 2014

Lee CLARK 30 October 2014 – 9 May 2015

Neil McDONALD 2 June 2015 – 18 May 2016

Gary BOWYER 1 June 2016 – 6 August 2018

Terry McPHILLIPS 6 August 2018 – 5 July 2019

Simon GRAYSON 6 July 2019 – 12 February 2020

David DUNN (Caretaker) 12 February 2020 – 2 March 2020

Neil CRITCHLEY 2 March 2020 – 

??  – 

 

League Record

The Football League structure has historically been as follows …

1888-1892 1892-1920 1920-1921 1921-1958 1958-1992 1992-2004 2004 to date
First tier Football League Division One Division One Division One Division One Premiership Premier League
Second tier Division Two Division Two Division Two Division Two Division One Championship
Third tier Division Three Division Three
(North) and (South)
Division Three Division Two  League One
Fourth tier Division Four Division Three League Two

Elected to Division Two  (Second Tier) 1896

Division Two  (Second Tier) 1896-1899

Not re-elected 1899-1900

Division Two  (Second Tier) 1900-1930

Division One  (Top Tier) 1930-1967

Division Two  (Second Tier) 1967-1970

Division One  (Top Tier) 1970-1971

Division Two  (Second Tier) 1971-1978

Division Three  (Third Tier) 1978-1981

Division Four  (Fourth Tier) 1981-1985

Division Three  (Third Tier) 1985-1990

Division Four  (Fourth Tier) 1990-1992

Division Two  (Third Tier) 1992-2000

Division Three  (Fourth Tier) 2000-2001

Division Two  (Third Tier) 2001-2004

League One  (Third Tier) 2004-2007

Championship  (Second Tier) 2007-2010

Premier League  (Top Tier) 2010-2011

Championship  (Second Tier) 2011-2015

League One  (Third Tier) 2015-2016

League Two  (Fourth Tier) 2016-2017

League One  (Third Tier) 2017-