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 – 2 June 2022
Michael APPLETON 17 June 2022 – 18 January 2023
Mick McCARTHY 19 January 2023 – 8 April 2023
Stephen DOBBIE (Interim manager) 8 April 2023 – 23 May 2023
Neil CRITCHLEY 23 May 2023 – 
??  – 

 

    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) 2017-2021
Championship  (Second Tier) 2021-2023
League One  (Third Tier) 2023-