2011–12 Blackpool F.C. season
Encyclopedia
Blackpool F.C.
s 2011–12 season started on 5 August 2011. It is the club's first season back in the Football League Championship
, the second tier of English professional football, after being relegated from the Premier League at the conclusion of 2010–11
campaign, and their 104th overall season in the Football League. It is Ian Holloway
's third season as manager.
and Richard Kingson
; defenders Rob Edwards, David Carney
and Danny Coid
; midfielders Malaury Martin (who did not make any appearances for the club), former club captain Jason Euell
and Ishmel Demontagnac
; and forward Marlon Harewood
. In addition, on-loan defender Salaheddine Sbaï
returned to Nîmes
without appearing for the Seasiders, forward Sergei Kornilenko
's loan move was also not made permanent, and midfielder Andy Reid
decided to not to extend his short-term contract.
The first arrival at Bloomfield Road was midfielder Bojan Djordjic
, who had played under Ian Holloway
at Plymouth Argyle
.
Two more departures occurred in early July. Midfielder Charlie Adam
sealed his move to Kenny Dalglish
's Liverpool
for a £7-million fee. The Blackpool supporters' Player of the Year the previous term and Adam's midfield partner for the previous campaign, David Vaughan
, also left after turning down a new contract. He signed for Sunderland
on 7 July.
Also in early July, the club tied-up contract extensions with four players: goalkeeper Matthew Gilks
and defenders Stephen Crainey
, Ashley Eastham
and Ian Evatt
.
On 9 July, former Preston North End
left back Matt Hill signed on a free transfer. He joined the club at their pre-season training camp in Portugal.
The following day, former England
striker and European Golden Shoe winner Kevin Phillips
joined, again on a free transfer.
On 18 July, the eve of Blackpool's first pre-season friendly against Rangers
, the club signed 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Gerardo Bruna
from Liverpool on a two-year contract.
Four days later, former Scotland
international midfielder Barry Ferguson
signed from Birmingham City
, where he had been playing with Kevin Phillips, for £750,000, in a two-year deal with an option for a third. Fellow Scot, left-back Robert Harris
, joined from Queen of the South
. Another defender, Paul Bignot
, became Ian Holloway's third signing in 24 hours when he joined from Newport County
.
On 25 July, Spanish midfielder Ángel Martínez joined on a two-year contract, with an option for a third, from Espanyol
. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 31 going into Blackpool's final pre-season friendly against Hibernian
the following day.
Prior to the evening kick-off against Hibs, Blackpool completed the signing of 22-year-old Scottish striker Craig Sutherland
, who was playing in the US college leagues.
A tenth close-season signing occurred on 3 August, when Liverpool midfielder Tom Ince, son of former England
captain Paul
, put pen to paper to seal a two-year deal, with an option for a third year.
On the eve of the new season, D. J. Campbell sealed his drawn-out move to Q.P.R.
for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £1.2 million. The same day, Spanish centre back Miguel Ángel Llera
joined the club on a free transfer. He had been on trial with the Seasiders, and scored a free-kick in Blackpool's friendly defeat to Lancaster City three days earlier. The same day, Louis Almond
joined Barrow on loan. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 33 to choose from for the 5 August League visit to Hull City
.
in the club's final Premier League fixture 75 days earlier were featured in the starting line-up. They were Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey
, Ian Evatt
, Alex Baptiste
, Keith Southern
and Gary Taylor-Fletcher
. Meanwhile, starting debuts were given to Barry Ferguson
and Kevin Phillips
, while fellow new boy Craig Sutherland
came on as a late substitute for Taylor-Fletcher. Matt Hill was an unused substitute. It was Taylor-Fletcher who scored the only goal of the game, on 81 minutes, to give Blackpool a perfect start to the campaign. The Tangerines topped the table for less than 24 hours, however: Ipswich Town replaced them the following day after their 3–0 victory at Bristol City
.
Six days later, Blackpool travelled to Hillsborough
to take on Sheffield Wednesday
in the first round of the League Cup
, with Ian Holloway naming a completely different starting eleven to that of the previous game. The tie finished goalless after both ninety minutes of normal time and thirty of extra. To a penalty shootout
it went, and Wednesday, managed by former Seasiders boss Gary Megson
, won 4–2.
It was back to League action on 14 August, and Blackpool hosted Peterborough United
for the first home
fixture of the campaign. Kevin Phillips
opened the scoring one minute before half-time. He then doubled the Tangerines lead three minutes into the second half. Six minutes from time, the visitors' George Boyd
pulled one back. With their victory, which maintained their 100% start to the League campaign, Blackpool moved up to third in the table. With his substitute appearance, Matt Phillips
became the 26th player used by Ian Holloway in their three games.
The Seasiders then hosted Derby County
in a midweek fixture at Bloomfield Road. The visitors, with a single goal, inflicted the hosts' first League defeat of the campaign. Blackpool slipped five places to eighth as a result.
On 19 August, Ian Holloway's men endured an eight-and-a-half-hour coach ride down to the south coast to face Brighton & Hove Albion
the following day. Craig Mackail-Smith
opened the scoring for the Seagulls just before the half-hour mark. The lead was doubled five minutes into the second half via Ashley Barnes
. Kevin Phillips pulled one back for the Tangerines on the hour mark, before levelling matters in the 90th minute. It was Phillips' fourth goal in as many games for his new club. Blackpool remained eighth.
Eight days later, Blackpool again took to the road, this time Crystal Palace
being the opposition. Alex Baptiste opened his goalscoring account for the season, with a 41st-minute strike. With eleven minutes remaining, Glenn Murray
equalised for the Eagles. Blackpool climbed to seventh place with the result.
On 31 August, transfer-deadline day in England, Blackpool secured the services of two players. The first, in a permanent, one-year deal, was Maltese forward Daniel Bogdanović
, from Sheffield United for ₤250,000. The other was West Bromwich Albion right-back James Hurst
, on loan for the rest of the season. He was, however, recalled in October.
After an international
break, Blackpool hosted Paul Jewell
's Ipswich Town
at Bloomfield Road on 10 September. After a goalless first half, Gary Taylor-Fletcher put the hosts ahead four minutes after the break. Barry Ferguson, with his first goal in English football for seven years, doubled Blackpool's lead on the hour mark, before leaving the game with a hamstring injury with fourteen minutes remaining. Blackpool climbed one place to seventh with their victory. With eleven points taken from a possible eighteen, it has been Blackpool's best start to a League season in twenty years.
Cardiff City
were the visitors to Bloomfield Road a week later – the first meeting between the two clubs since Blackpool's victory in the play-off final sixteen months earlier. The visitors took the lead through Don Cowie four minutes into the second half. Kevin Phillips equalised for the Tangerines just after the hour mark – his fifth League goal in seven games. Blackpool remained seventh with the point gained.
On 24 September, Blackpool made the long trip to the south coast to face Portsmouth
at Fratton Park
. Matt Phillips was given a rare start by Ian Holloway, but the 20-year-old missed two golden chances in the first half. He was substituted in favour of Ludo Sylvestre nine minutes after the restart. The game remained goalless until the fourth minute of added time, when Norwegian Erik Huseklepp
netted the vital goal. Blackpool slipped one place to eighth with the defeat, which ended a four-game unbeaten streak.
Three days later, Coventry City
were the opposition at the Ricoh Arena
. Gary Taylor-Fletcher opened the scoring on eighteen minutes. Gary Deegan
leveled for the hosts an hour later. Lukas Jutkiewicz
put the Sky Blues ahead five minutes later, before Keith Southern
equalised two minutes into stoppage time. Blackpool sat in tenth place with the result.
On 1 October, Blackpool marked their tenth League fixture with a 5–0 victory over Bristol City at Bloomfield Road. Gary Taylor-Fletcher, with his fourth goal of the season, put the Tangerines in front eight minutes before the break. Jonjo Shelvey
, signed the previous day on loan from Liverpool
doubled the lead with a low thirty-yard free-kick. Daniel Bogdanovic
opened his scoring account for Ian Holloway's men with the third, on 83 minutes. Two minutes into injury time, Brett Ormerod made it four. Bogdanovic scored his second and Blackpool's fifth in the 94th minute.
After a two-week break, Blackpool suffered a heavy defeat, 4–0, at the hands of West Ham United
at Upton Park
. They dropped to thirteenth place with the loss.
Three days later, they returned to winning ways courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Tom Ince. It was his second of the game. He had levelled proceedings just after the hour mark with his first goal for the club. The three points lifted Blackpool to eighth.
Two successive defeats ensued — 1–2 at Nottingham Forest
and 1–3 at Burnley
— before a 5–0 whitewash of Leeds United
at Elland Road
on 2 November. It was former Seasiders manager Simon Grayson
's first meeting with the club since he left them in 2006. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka
, who crossed the Pennines
during the summer, was at fault for three of Blackpool's goals, and he was withdrawn at half time in favour of 18-year-old Alex Cairns
. Blackpool climbed to eighth place with the victory.
Three days later, Blackpool hosted Millwall
at Bloomfield Road in what was Ian Holloway's 100th league game in charge of the club. Kevin Phillips struck the only goal of the game on 61 minutes, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute for Keith Southern. It was Phillips' seventh goal of the campaign. Blackpool, who had taken six points and scored as many goals in four days, moved up to fifth. It was also their second-consecutive clean sheet.
Two 2–2 draws ensued — at Middlesbrough
on 19 November, then the following week at home to Birmingham City
. Ludovic Sylvestre
and Jonjo Shelvey netted in the first fixture, while full-back duo Stephen Crainey
and Neal Eardley
scored the goals in the latter. Blackpool moved into the play-off places with the second of the two points.
s 2011–12 season started on 5 August 2011. It is the club's first season back in the Football League Championship
, the second tier of English professional football, after being relegated from the Premier League at the conclusion of 2010–11
campaign, and their 104th overall season in the Football League. It is Ian Holloway
's third season as manager.
and Richard Kingson
; defenders Rob Edwards, David Carney
and Danny Coid
; midfielders Malaury Martin (who did not make any appearances for the club), former club captain Jason Euell
and Ishmel Demontagnac
; and forward Marlon Harewood
. In addition, on-loan defender Salaheddine Sbaï
returned to Nîmes
without appearing for the Seasiders, forward Sergei Kornilenko
's loan move was also not made permanent, and midfielder Andy Reid
decided to not to extend his short-term contract.
The first arrival at Bloomfield Road was midfielder Bojan Djordjic
, who had played under Ian Holloway
at Plymouth Argyle
.
Two more departures occurred in early July. Midfielder Charlie Adam
sealed his move to Kenny Dalglish
's Liverpool
for a £7-million fee. The Blackpool supporters' Player of the Year the previous term and Adam's midfield partner for the previous campaign, David Vaughan
, also left after turning down a new contract. He signed for Sunderland
on 7 July.
Also in early July, the club tied-up contract extensions with four players: goalkeeper Matthew Gilks
and defenders Stephen Crainey
, Ashley Eastham
and Ian Evatt
.
On 9 July, former Preston North End
left back Matt Hill signed on a free transfer. He joined the club at their pre-season training camp in Portugal.
The following day, former England
striker and European Golden Shoe winner Kevin Phillips
joined, again on a free transfer.
On 18 July, the eve of Blackpool's first pre-season friendly against Rangers
, the club signed 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Gerardo Bruna
from Liverpool on a two-year contract.
Four days later, former Scotland
international midfielder Barry Ferguson
signed from Birmingham City
, where he had been playing with Kevin Phillips, for £750,000, in a two-year deal with an option for a third. Fellow Scot, left-back Robert Harris
, joined from Queen of the South
. Another defender, Paul Bignot
, became Ian Holloway's third signing in 24 hours when he joined from Newport County
.
On 25 July, Spanish midfielder Ángel Martínez joined on a two-year contract, with an option for a third, from Espanyol
. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 31 going into Blackpool's final pre-season friendly against Hibernian
the following day.
Prior to the evening kick-off against Hibs, Blackpool completed the signing of 22-year-old Scottish striker Craig Sutherland
, who was playing in the US college leagues.
A tenth close-season signing occurred on 3 August, when Liverpool midfielder Tom Ince, son of former England
captain Paul
, put pen to paper to seal a two-year deal, with an option for a third year.
On the eve of the new season, D. J. Campbell sealed his drawn-out move to Q.P.R.
for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £1.2 million. The same day, Spanish centre back Miguel Ángel Llera
joined the club on a free transfer. He had been on trial with the Seasiders, and scored a free-kick in Blackpool's friendly defeat to Lancaster City three days earlier. The same day, Louis Almond
joined Barrow on loan. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 33 to choose from for the 5 August League visit to Hull City
.
in the club's final Premier League fixture 75 days earlier were featured in the starting line-up. They were Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey
, Ian Evatt
, Alex Baptiste
, Keith Southern
and Gary Taylor-Fletcher
. Meanwhile, starting debuts were given to Barry Ferguson
and Kevin Phillips
, while fellow new boy Craig Sutherland
came on as a late substitute for Taylor-Fletcher. Matt Hill was an unused substitute. It was Taylor-Fletcher who scored the only goal of the game, on 81 minutes, to give Blackpool a perfect start to the campaign. The Tangerines topped the table for less than 24 hours, however: Ipswich Town replaced them the following day after their 3–0 victory at Bristol City
.
Six days later, Blackpool travelled to Hillsborough
to take on Sheffield Wednesday
in the first round of the League Cup
, with Ian Holloway naming a completely different starting eleven to that of the previous game. The tie finished goalless after both ninety minutes of normal time and thirty of extra. To a penalty shootout
it went, and Wednesday, managed by former Seasiders boss Gary Megson
, won 4–2.
It was back to League action on 14 August, and Blackpool hosted Peterborough United
for the first home
fixture of the campaign. Kevin Phillips
opened the scoring one minute before half-time. He then doubled the Tangerines lead three minutes into the second half. Six minutes from time, the visitors' George Boyd
pulled one back. With their victory, which maintained their 100% start to the League campaign, Blackpool moved up to third in the table. With his substitute appearance, Matt Phillips
became the 26th player used by Ian Holloway in their three games.
The Seasiders then hosted Derby County
in a midweek fixture at Bloomfield Road. The visitors, with a single goal, inflicted the hosts' first League defeat of the campaign. Blackpool slipped five places to eighth as a result.
On 19 August, Ian Holloway's men endured an eight-and-a-half-hour coach ride down to the south coast to face Brighton & Hove Albion
the following day. Craig Mackail-Smith
opened the scoring for the Seagulls just before the half-hour mark. The lead was doubled five minutes into the second half via Ashley Barnes
. Kevin Phillips pulled one back for the Tangerines on the hour mark, before levelling matters in the 90th minute. It was Phillips' fourth goal in as many games for his new club. Blackpool remained eighth.
Eight days later, Blackpool again took to the road, this time Crystal Palace
being the opposition. Alex Baptiste opened his goalscoring account for the season, with a 41st-minute strike. With eleven minutes remaining, Glenn Murray
equalised for the Eagles. Blackpool climbed to seventh place with the result.
On 31 August, transfer-deadline day in England, Blackpool secured the services of two players. The first, in a permanent, one-year deal, was Maltese forward Daniel Bogdanović
, from Sheffield United for ₤250,000. The other was West Bromwich Albion right-back James Hurst
, on loan for the rest of the season. He was, however, recalled in October.
After an international
break, Blackpool hosted Paul Jewell
's Ipswich Town
at Bloomfield Road on 10 September. After a goalless first half, Gary Taylor-Fletcher put the hosts ahead four minutes after the break. Barry Ferguson, with his first goal in English football for seven years, doubled Blackpool's lead on the hour mark, before leaving the game with a hamstring injury with fourteen minutes remaining. Blackpool climbed one place to seventh with their victory. With eleven points taken from a possible eighteen, it has been Blackpool's best start to a League season in twenty years.
Cardiff City
were the visitors to Bloomfield Road a week later – the first meeting between the two clubs since Blackpool's victory in the play-off final sixteen months earlier. The visitors took the lead through Don Cowie four minutes into the second half. Kevin Phillips equalised for the Tangerines just after the hour mark – his fifth League goal in seven games. Blackpool remained seventh with the point gained.
On 24 September, Blackpool made the long trip to the south coast to face Portsmouth
at Fratton Park
. Matt Phillips was given a rare start by Ian Holloway, but the 20-year-old missed two golden chances in the first half. He was substituted in favour of Ludo Sylvestre nine minutes after the restart. The game remained goalless until the fourth minute of added time, when Norwegian Erik Huseklepp
netted the vital goal. Blackpool slipped one place to eighth with the defeat, which ended a four-game unbeaten streak.
Three days later, Coventry City
were the opposition at the Ricoh Arena
. Gary Taylor-Fletcher opened the scoring on eighteen minutes. Gary Deegan
leveled for the hosts an hour later. Lukas Jutkiewicz
put the Sky Blues ahead five minutes later, before Keith Southern
equalised two minutes into stoppage time. Blackpool sat in tenth place with the result.
On 1 October, Blackpool marked their tenth League fixture with a 5–0 victory over Bristol City at Bloomfield Road. Gary Taylor-Fletcher, with his fourth goal of the season, put the Tangerines in front eight minutes before the break. Jonjo Shelvey
, signed the previous day on loan from Liverpool
doubled the lead with a low thirty-yard free-kick. Daniel Bogdanovic
opened his scoring account for Ian Holloway's men with the third, on 83 minutes. Two minutes into injury time, Brett Ormerod made it four. Bogdanovic scored his second and Blackpool's fifth in the 94th minute.
After a two-week break, Blackpool suffered a heavy defeat, 4–0, at the hands of West Ham United
at Upton Park
. They dropped to thirteenth place with the loss.
Three days later, they returned to winning ways courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Tom Ince. It was his second of the game. He had levelled proceedings just after the hour mark with his first goal for the club. The three points lifted Blackpool to eighth.
Two successive defeats ensued — 1–2 at Nottingham Forest
and 1–3 at Burnley
— before a 5–0 whitewash of Leeds United
at Elland Road
on 2 November. It was former Seasiders manager Simon Grayson
's first meeting with the club since he left them in 2006. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka
, who crossed the Pennines
during the summer, was at fault for three of Blackpool's goals, and he was withdrawn at half time in favour of 18-year-old Alex Cairns
. Blackpool climbed to eighth place with the victory.
Three days later, Blackpool hosted Millwall
at Bloomfield Road in what was Ian Holloway's 100th league game in charge of the club. Kevin Phillips struck the only goal of the game on 61 minutes, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute for Keith Southern. It was Phillips' seventh goal of the campaign. Blackpool, who had taken six points and scored as many goals in four days, moved up to fifth. It was also their second-consecutive clean sheet.
Two 2–2 draws ensued — at Middlesbrough
on 19 November, then the following week at home to Birmingham City
. Ludovic Sylvestre
and Jonjo Shelvey netted in the first fixture, while full-back duo Stephen Crainey
and Neal Eardley
scored the goals in the latter. Blackpool moved into the play-off places with the second of the two points.
s 2011–12 season started on 5 August 2011. It is the club's first season back in the Football League Championship
, the second tier of English professional football, after being relegated from the Premier League at the conclusion of 2010–11
campaign, and their 104th overall season in the Football League. It is Ian Holloway
's third season as manager.
and Richard Kingson
; defenders Rob Edwards, David Carney
and Danny Coid
; midfielders Malaury Martin (who did not make any appearances for the club), former club captain Jason Euell
and Ishmel Demontagnac
; and forward Marlon Harewood
. In addition, on-loan defender Salaheddine Sbaï
returned to Nîmes
without appearing for the Seasiders, forward Sergei Kornilenko
's loan move was also not made permanent, and midfielder Andy Reid
decided to not to extend his short-term contract.
The first arrival at Bloomfield Road was midfielder Bojan Djordjic
, who had played under Ian Holloway
at Plymouth Argyle
.
Two more departures occurred in early July. Midfielder Charlie Adam
sealed his move to Kenny Dalglish
's Liverpool
for a £7-million fee. The Blackpool supporters' Player of the Year the previous term and Adam's midfield partner for the previous campaign, David Vaughan
, also left after turning down a new contract. He signed for Sunderland
on 7 July.
Also in early July, the club tied-up contract extensions with four players: goalkeeper Matthew Gilks
and defenders Stephen Crainey
, Ashley Eastham
and Ian Evatt
.
On 9 July, former Preston North End
left back Matt Hill signed on a free transfer. He joined the club at their pre-season training camp in Portugal.
The following day, former England
striker and European Golden Shoe winner Kevin Phillips
joined, again on a free transfer.
On 18 July, the eve of Blackpool's first pre-season friendly against Rangers
, the club signed 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Gerardo Bruna
from Liverpool on a two-year contract.
Four days later, former Scotland
international midfielder Barry Ferguson
signed from Birmingham City
, where he had been playing with Kevin Phillips, for £750,000, in a two-year deal with an option for a third. Fellow Scot, left-back Robert Harris
, joined from Queen of the South
. Another defender, Paul Bignot
, became Ian Holloway's third signing in 24 hours when he joined from Newport County
.
On 25 July, Spanish midfielder Ángel Martínez joined on a two-year contract, with an option for a third, from Espanyol
. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 31 going into Blackpool's final pre-season friendly against Hibernian
the following day.
Prior to the evening kick-off against Hibs, Blackpool completed the signing of 22-year-old Scottish striker Craig Sutherland
, who was playing in the US college leagues.
A tenth close-season signing occurred on 3 August, when Liverpool midfielder Tom Ince, son of former England
captain Paul
, put pen to paper to seal a two-year deal, with an option for a third year.
On the eve of the new season, D. J. Campbell sealed his drawn-out move to Q.P.R.
for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £1.2 million. The same day, Spanish centre back Miguel Ángel Llera
joined the club on a free transfer. He had been on trial with the Seasiders, and scored a free-kick in Blackpool's friendly defeat to Lancaster City three days earlier. The same day, Louis Almond
joined Barrow on loan. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 33 to choose from for the 5 August League visit to Hull City
.
in the club's final Premier League fixture 75 days earlier were featured in the starting line-up. They were Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey
, Ian Evatt
, Alex Baptiste
, Keith Southern
and Gary Taylor-Fletcher
. Meanwhile, starting debuts were given to Barry Ferguson
and Kevin Phillips
, while fellow new boy Craig Sutherland
came on as a late substitute for Taylor-Fletcher. Matt Hill was an unused substitute. It was Taylor-Fletcher who scored the only goal of the game, on 81 minutes, to give Blackpool a perfect start to the campaign. The Tangerines topped the table for less than 24 hours, however: Ipswich Town replaced them the following day after their 3–0 victory at Bristol City
.
Six days later, Blackpool travelled to Hillsborough
to take on Sheffield Wednesday
in the first round of the League Cup
, with Ian Holloway naming a completely different starting eleven to that of the previous game. The tie finished goalless after both ninety minutes of normal time and thirty of extra. To a penalty shootout
it went, and Wednesday, managed by former Seasiders boss Gary Megson
, won 4–2.
It was back to League action on 14 August, and Blackpool hosted Peterborough United
for the first home
fixture of the campaign. Kevin Phillips
opened the scoring one minute before half-time. He then doubled the Tangerines lead three minutes into the second half. Six minutes from time, the visitors' George Boyd
pulled one back. With their victory, which maintained their 100% start to the League campaign, Blackpool moved up to third in the table. With his substitute appearance, Matt Phillips
became the 26th player used by Ian Holloway in their three games.
The Seasiders then hosted Derby County
in a midweek fixture at Bloomfield Road. The visitors, with a single goal, inflicted the hosts' first League defeat of the campaign. Blackpool slipped five places to eighth as a result.
On 19 August, Ian Holloway's men endured an eight-and-a-half-hour coach ride down to the south coast to face Brighton & Hove Albion
the following day. Craig Mackail-Smith
opened the scoring for the Seagulls just before the half-hour mark. The lead was doubled five minutes into the second half via Ashley Barnes
. Kevin Phillips pulled one back for the Tangerines on the hour mark, before levelling matters in the 90th minute. It was Phillips' fourth goal in as many games for his new club. Blackpool remained eighth.
Eight days later, Blackpool again took to the road, this time Crystal Palace
being the opposition. Alex Baptiste opened his goalscoring account for the season, with a 41st-minute strike. With eleven minutes remaining, Glenn Murray
equalised for the Eagles. Blackpool climbed to seventh place with the result.
On 31 August, transfer-deadline day in England, Blackpool secured the services of two players. The first, in a permanent, one-year deal, was Maltese forward Daniel Bogdanović
, from Sheffield United for ₤250,000. The other was West Bromwich Albion right-back James Hurst
, on loan for the rest of the season. He was, however, recalled in October.
After an international
break, Blackpool hosted Paul Jewell
's Ipswich Town
at Bloomfield Road on 10 September. After a goalless first half, Gary Taylor-Fletcher put the hosts ahead four minutes after the break. Barry Ferguson, with his first goal in English football for seven years, doubled Blackpool's lead on the hour mark, before leaving the game with a hamstring injury with fourteen minutes remaining. Blackpool climbed one place to seventh with their victory. With eleven points taken from a possible eighteen, it has been Blackpool's best start to a League season in twenty years.
Cardiff City
were the visitors to Bloomfield Road a week later – the first meeting between the two clubs since Blackpool's victory in the play-off final sixteen months earlier. The visitors took the lead through Don Cowie four minutes into the second half. Kevin Phillips equalised for the Tangerines just after the hour mark – his fifth League goal in seven games. Blackpool remained seventh with the point gained.
On 24 September, Blackpool made the long trip to the south coast to face Portsmouth
at Fratton Park
. Matt Phillips was given a rare start by Ian Holloway, but the 20-year-old missed two golden chances in the first half. He was substituted in favour of Ludo Sylvestre nine minutes after the restart. The game remained goalless until the fourth minute of added time, when Norwegian Erik Huseklepp
netted the vital goal. Blackpool slipped one place to eighth with the defeat, which ended a four-game unbeaten streak.
Three days later, Coventry City
were the opposition at the Ricoh Arena
. Gary Taylor-Fletcher opened the scoring on eighteen minutes. Gary Deegan
leveled for the hosts an hour later. Lukas Jutkiewicz
put the Sky Blues ahead five minutes later, before Keith Southern
equalised two minutes into stoppage time. Blackpool sat in tenth place with the result.
On 1 October, Blackpool marked their tenth League fixture with a 5–0 victory over Bristol City at Bloomfield Road. Gary Taylor-Fletcher, with his fourth goal of the season, put the Tangerines in front eight minutes before the break. Jonjo Shelvey
, signed the previous day on loan from Liverpool
doubled the lead with a low thirty-yard free-kick. Daniel Bogdanovic
opened his scoring account for Ian Holloway's men with the third, on 83 minutes. Two minutes into injury time, Brett Ormerod made it four. Bogdanovic scored his second and Blackpool's fifth in the 94th minute.
After a two-week break, Blackpool suffered a heavy defeat, 4–0, at the hands of West Ham United
at Upton Park
. They dropped to thirteenth place with the loss.
Three days later, they returned to winning ways courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Tom Ince. It was his second of the game. He had levelled proceedings just after the hour mark with his first goal for the club. The three points lifted Blackpool to eighth.
Two successive defeats ensued — 1–2 at Nottingham Forest
and 1–3 at Burnley
— before a 5–0 whitewash of Leeds United
at Elland Road
on 2 November. It was former Seasiders manager Simon Grayson
's first meeting with the club since he left them in 2006. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka
, who crossed the Pennines
during the summer, was at fault for three of Blackpool's goals, and he was withdrawn at half time in favour of 18-year-old Alex Cairns
. Blackpool climbed to eighth place with the victory.
Three days later, Blackpool hosted Millwall
at Bloomfield Road in what was Ian Holloway's 100th league game in charge of the club. Kevin Phillips struck the only goal of the game on 61 minutes, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute for Keith Southern. It was Phillips' seventh goal of the campaign. Blackpool, who had taken six points and scored as many goals in four days, moved up to fifth. It was also their second-consecutive clean sheet.
Two 2–2 draws ensued — at Middlesbrough
on 19 November, then the following week at home to Birmingham City
. Ludovic Sylvestre
and Jonjo Shelvey netted in the first fixture, while full-back duo Stephen Crainey
and Neal Eardley
scored the goals in the latter. Blackpool moved into the play-off places with the second of the two points.
Players used: 31
Goals scored: 30 (30 League)
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
s 2011–12 season started on 5 August 2011. It is the club's first season back in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, the second tier of English professional football, after being relegated from the Premier League at the conclusion of 2010–11
2010–11 Blackpool F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Blackpool F.C.s debut season in the Premier League, after winning the 2009–10 Championship play-off Final in what was their 100th consecutive season in the Football League. It was also their 28th overall season in English football's top tier, but their first since 1971. It...
campaign, and their 104th overall season in the Football League. It is Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
's third season as manager.
Pre-season
Over the summer, the club released nine players. They were goalkeepers Paul RachubkaPaul Rachubka
Paul Stephen Rachubka is an American-English professional Association football goalkeeper who plays for Leeds United after joining the club from Blackpool ....
and Richard Kingson
Richard Kingson
Richard Paul Franck Kingson is a Ghanaian professional football goalkeeper, who is currently a free agent. He is also known as Faruk Gürsoy and is frequently misnamed Kingston due to "irregularity on his identity documents"...
; defenders Rob Edwards, David Carney
David Carney
David Raymond Carney is an Australian football player who plays left winger for Spanish club AD Alcorcón and as a left-back or left winger for the Australian national team.- Junior career :...
and Danny Coid
Danny Coid
Daniel John "Danny" Coid is an English professional footballer who plays for Accrington Stanley.-Blackpool:Born in Liverpool, Merseyside, Coid started his career with Blackpool in 1995, when he was in the youth team. He was then a trainee before signing his first professional contract in 1998...
; midfielders Malaury Martin (who did not make any appearances for the club), former club captain Jason Euell
Jason Euell
Jason Joseph Euell is a Jamaican-English football player who plays for Charlton Athletic. He can play as either a forward or a midfielder...
and Ishmel Demontagnac
Ishmel Demontagnac
Ishmel Abendigo Demontagnac is an English footballer who plays for Notts County as a winger. Only his first name is displayed on the back of his shirt.Demontagnac previously played for Walsall...
; and forward Marlon Harewood
Marlon Harewood
Marlon Anderson Harewood is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Guangzhou R&F in China.Harewood started his career at Nottingham Forest. During his career there, he had loan spells at Haka and Ipswich Town before joining West Ham United in 2003 and then Aston Villa in 2007...
. In addition, on-loan defender Salaheddine Sbaï
Salaheddine Sbai
Salaheddine Sbaï is a Moroccan footballer who currently is a free agent.-Club career:Sbaï began his career for the youth side at Charleroi and was loaned out for the 2004/2005 season to Ronse...
returned to Nîmes
Nîmes Olympique
Nîmes Olympique is a French association football club based in Nîmes. The club was formed on 10 April 1937 and currently play in Championnat National, the third level of French football. The club's only achievement was winning Ligue 2 in 1950 and the Championnat National in 1997...
without appearing for the Seasiders, forward Sergei Kornilenko
Sergei Kornilenko
Sergei Aleksandrovich Kornilenko is a Belarusian professional footballer who plays for FC Krylia Sovetov Samara.- Career :Vitebsk-born Kornilenko began his career in his native Belarus as a trainee with FC Dinamo Minsk before joining his hometown club...
's loan move was also not made permanent, and midfielder Andy Reid
Andy Reid (footballer)
Andrew Matthew "Andy" Reid is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest in the Football League Championship. He plays as a midfielder and has also represented the Republic of Ireland.-Personal life:...
decided to not to extend his short-term contract.
The first arrival at Bloomfield Road was midfielder Bojan Djordjic
Bojan Djordjic
Bojan Djordjic is a Swedish footballer of ethnic Serbian descent...
, who had played under Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
at Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
.
Two more departures occurred in early July. Midfielder Charlie Adam
Charlie Adam
Charles Graham "Charlie" Adam is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liverpool and the Scotland national football team....
sealed his move to Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
's Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for a £7-million fee. The Blackpool supporters' Player of the Year the previous term and Adam's midfield partner for the previous campaign, David Vaughan
David Vaughan (footballer)
David Owen Vaughan is a Welsh footballer who plays for Sunderland. He plays as a midfielder.Vaughan previously played for Crewe Alexandra, where he spent seven years between 2000 and 2007...
, also left after turning down a new contract. He signed for Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
on 7 July.
Also in early July, the club tied-up contract extensions with four players: goalkeeper Matthew Gilks
Matthew Gilks
Matthew "Matt" Gilks is a football goalkeeper who plays for Blackpool. He previously played for Rochdale for seven years before moving to Norwich City in 2007. He stayed one season with the Canaries without making a first-team appearance...
and defenders Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
, Ashley Eastham
Ashley Eastham
Ashley Thomas J. Eastham is an English professional football player. He plays as a defender for Blackpool. His main position is centre-back.-Early career at Blackpool; Loan move to Hyde United:...
and Ian Evatt
Ian Evatt
Ian Ross Evatt is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackpool.He began his professional career in 1999 at Derby County and has also played for Northampton Town , Chesterfield and Queens Park Rangers.-Early life:...
.
On 9 July, former Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
left back Matt Hill signed on a free transfer. He joined the club at their pre-season training camp in Portugal.
The following day, former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
striker and European Golden Shoe winner Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
joined, again on a free transfer.
On 18 July, the eve of Blackpool's first pre-season friendly against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, the club signed 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Gerardo Bruna
Gerardo Bruna
Gerardo Alfredo Bruna Blanco is an Spanish-Argentine professional footballer who plays for Blackpool as a midfielder.-Liverpool:Playmaker Gerardo Bruna arrived from Real Madrid in the summer of 2007....
from Liverpool on a two-year contract.
Four days later, former Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
international midfielder Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
signed from Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, where he had been playing with Kevin Phillips, for £750,000, in a two-year deal with an option for a third. Fellow Scot, left-back Robert Harris
Robert Harris (footballer)
Robert "Bob" Harris is a Scottish footballer who plays for Blackpool. His position is left back.Harris started at Clyde before making over 100 first team appearances for Queen of the South for whom he played in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final...
, joined from Queen of the South
Queen of the South
For other uses see Queen of the South Queen of the South is an alternative title for the Queen of Sheba. The phrase Queen of the South is used in the New Testament and is attributed to Jesus Christ....
. Another defender, Paul Bignot
Paul Bignot
Paul Junior Bignot is an English footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle on loan from Blackpool as a defender. He made over 20 appearances in the Football League with Crewe Alexandra. His older brother Marcus was also a professional footballer.-Crewe Alexandra:Birmingham-born Bignot started his...
, became Ian Holloway's third signing in 24 hours when he joined from Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
.
On 25 July, Spanish midfielder Ángel Martínez joined on a two-year contract, with an option for a third, from Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 31 going into Blackpool's final pre-season friendly against Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
the following day.
Prior to the evening kick-off against Hibs, Blackpool completed the signing of 22-year-old Scottish striker Craig Sutherland
Craig Sutherland
Craig Stephen Sutherland is a Scottish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Blackpool, as a centre-forward.-Blackpool:London-born Sutherland joined Blackpool on 26 July 2011 from the North Carolina State University...
, who was playing in the US college leagues.
A tenth close-season signing occurred on 3 August, when Liverpool midfielder Tom Ince, son of former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
captain Paul
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
, put pen to paper to seal a two-year deal, with an option for a third year.
On the eve of the new season, D. J. Campbell sealed his drawn-out move to Q.P.R.
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £1.2 million. The same day, Spanish centre back Miguel Ángel Llera
Miguel Ángel Llera
Miguel Ángel Llera Garzón is a Spanish footballer who plays for Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Blackpool in England, as a central defender.-Spain:...
joined the club on a free transfer. He had been on trial with the Seasiders, and scored a free-kick in Blackpool's friendly defeat to Lancaster City three days earlier. The same day, Louis Almond
Louis Almond
Louis James Almond is an English professional football player. He plays as a forward for Barrow AFC on loan from Blackpool.-Career:...
joined Barrow on loan. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 33 to choose from for the 5 August League visit to Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
Season proper
Hull City hosted Ian Holloway's men in a Friday-night curtain-raiser for the 2011–12 Football League season. Six of the players that started against Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the club's final Premier League fixture 75 days earlier were featured in the starting line-up. They were Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
, Ian Evatt
Ian Evatt
Ian Ross Evatt is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackpool.He began his professional career in 1999 at Derby County and has also played for Northampton Town , Chesterfield and Queens Park Rangers.-Early life:...
, Alex Baptiste
Alex Baptiste
Alexander Aaron John "Alex" Baptiste is an English footballer who plays for Blackpool. He usually plays in central defence, but has also played at both full back positions and as a defensive midfielder.-Mansfield Town:...
, Keith Southern
Keith Southern
Keith William Southern is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool. He is a central midfielder and is the longest-serving player currently at Bloomfield Road.-Early career: Everton and loan move to Blackpool:...
and Gary Taylor-Fletcher
Gary Taylor-Fletcher
Gary Taylor-Fletcher is an English footballer. He plays for Blackpool and is a midfielder who can also play as a forward...
. Meanwhile, starting debuts were given to Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
and Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
, while fellow new boy Craig Sutherland
Craig Sutherland
Craig Stephen Sutherland is a Scottish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Blackpool, as a centre-forward.-Blackpool:London-born Sutherland joined Blackpool on 26 July 2011 from the North Carolina State University...
came on as a late substitute for Taylor-Fletcher. Matt Hill was an unused substitute. It was Taylor-Fletcher who scored the only goal of the game, on 81 minutes, to give Blackpool a perfect start to the campaign. The Tangerines topped the table for less than 24 hours, however: Ipswich Town replaced them the following day after their 3–0 victory at Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
.
Six days later, Blackpool travelled to Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
to take on Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in the first round of the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, with Ian Holloway naming a completely different starting eleven to that of the previous game. The tie finished goalless after both ninety minutes of normal time and thirty of extra. To a penalty shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
it went, and Wednesday, managed by former Seasiders boss Gary Megson
Gary Megson
Gary John Megson is an English former football player and is currently manager of Sheffield Wednesday.He has previously managed Norwich City, Blackpool, Stockport County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers...
, won 4–2.
It was back to League action on 14 August, and Blackpool hosted Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
for the first home
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
fixture of the campaign. Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
opened the scoring one minute before half-time. He then doubled the Tangerines lead three minutes into the second half. Six minutes from time, the visitors' George Boyd
George Boyd (footballer)
George Ian Boyd is a footballer who plays for Peterborough United as a winger.Boyd started his career in the Charlton Athletic youth system, joining Stevenage Borough of the Conference National in 2001 and making his first-team debut in 2002. Boyd spent five seasons at Stevenage, scoring over...
pulled one back. With their victory, which maintained their 100% start to the League campaign, Blackpool moved up to third in the table. With his substitute appearance, Matt Phillips
Matt Phillips
Matthew "Matt" Phillips is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool.Phillips is a winger and previously played for Wycombe Wanderers...
became the 26th player used by Ian Holloway in their three games.
The Seasiders then hosted Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in a midweek fixture at Bloomfield Road. The visitors, with a single goal, inflicted the hosts' first League defeat of the campaign. Blackpool slipped five places to eighth as a result.
On 19 August, Ian Holloway's men endured an eight-and-a-half-hour coach ride down to the south coast to face Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
the following day. Craig Mackail-Smith
Craig Mackail-Smith
Craig Anthony Robert Mackail-Smith is a footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker. He has also played for England C and at full international level for Scotland...
opened the scoring for the Seagulls just before the half-hour mark. The lead was doubled five minutes into the second half via Ashley Barnes
Ashley Barnes
Ashley Luke Barnes is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker, having previously played for Paulton Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Oxford United, Salisbury City, Eastbourne Borough and Torquay United...
. Kevin Phillips pulled one back for the Tangerines on the hour mark, before levelling matters in the 90th minute. It was Phillips' fourth goal in as many games for his new club. Blackpool remained eighth.
Eight days later, Blackpool again took to the road, this time Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
being the opposition. Alex Baptiste opened his goalscoring account for the season, with a 41st-minute strike. With eleven minutes remaining, Glenn Murray
Glenn Murray
Glenn Murray is an English footballer who plays for Crystal Palace as a striker. Prior to joining Crystal Palace in June 2011, Murray has previously played for Brighton, Carlisle, Rochdale, Stockport, Barrow, Workington Reds and Wilmington Hammerheads.-Early career:Born in Maryport, Cumbria, after...
equalised for the Eagles. Blackpool climbed to seventh place with the result.
On 31 August, transfer-deadline day in England, Blackpool secured the services of two players. The first, in a permanent, one-year deal, was Maltese forward Daniel Bogdanović
Daniel Bogdanovic
Danijel Bogdanović , more commonly spelled Daniel Bogdanović, is a Maltese professional footballer of Serb descent who plays as a striker for Blackpool.- Playing career :...
, from Sheffield United for ₤250,000. The other was West Bromwich Albion right-back James Hurst
James Hurst (footballer)
James Hurst is an English footballer who plays for Shrewsbury Town on loan from West Bromwich Albion as a defender.-Career:...
, on loan for the rest of the season. He was, however, recalled in October.
After an international
International football
International football generally refers to association football matches between representative national teams carried out under the regulation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
break, Blackpool hosted Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
's Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
at Bloomfield Road on 10 September. After a goalless first half, Gary Taylor-Fletcher put the hosts ahead four minutes after the break. Barry Ferguson, with his first goal in English football for seven years, doubled Blackpool's lead on the hour mark, before leaving the game with a hamstring injury with fourteen minutes remaining. Blackpool climbed one place to seventh with their victory. With eleven points taken from a possible eighteen, it has been Blackpool's best start to a League season in twenty years.
Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
were the visitors to Bloomfield Road a week later – the first meeting between the two clubs since Blackpool's victory in the play-off final sixteen months earlier. The visitors took the lead through Don Cowie four minutes into the second half. Kevin Phillips equalised for the Tangerines just after the hour mark – his fifth League goal in seven games. Blackpool remained seventh with the point gained.
On 24 September, Blackpool made the long trip to the south coast to face Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
. Matt Phillips was given a rare start by Ian Holloway, but the 20-year-old missed two golden chances in the first half. He was substituted in favour of Ludo Sylvestre nine minutes after the restart. The game remained goalless until the fourth minute of added time, when Norwegian Erik Huseklepp
Erik Huseklepp
Erik André Huseklepp is a Norwegian footballer forward who plays for Portsmouth and the Norwegian national team.-Early career:At the age of 18 he played youth football for Fyllingen...
netted the vital goal. Blackpool slipped one place to eighth with the defeat, which ended a four-game unbeaten streak.
Three days later, Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
were the opposition at the Ricoh Arena
Ricoh Arena
The Ricoh Arena , home to Coventry City F.C., is a stadium complex situated in the Rowleys Green district of the city of Coventry, England containing a 32,609 seater football stadium, a 6,000 square-metre exhibition hall, a hotel, a leisure club, and a casino...
. Gary Taylor-Fletcher opened the scoring on eighteen minutes. Gary Deegan
Gary Deegan
Gary Deegan is an Irish footballer currently playing for English Championship side Coventry City.-Early career:...
leveled for the hosts an hour later. Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Isaac Paul Jutkiewicz is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Championship club Coventry City.-Southampton:...
put the Sky Blues ahead five minutes later, before Keith Southern
Keith Southern
Keith William Southern is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool. He is a central midfielder and is the longest-serving player currently at Bloomfield Road.-Early career: Everton and loan move to Blackpool:...
equalised two minutes into stoppage time. Blackpool sat in tenth place with the result.
On 1 October, Blackpool marked their tenth League fixture with a 5–0 victory over Bristol City at Bloomfield Road. Gary Taylor-Fletcher, with his fourth goal of the season, put the Tangerines in front eight minutes before the break. Jonjo Shelvey
Jonjo Shelvey
Jonjo Shelvey is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool. A midfielder, he has represented and also captained England at U19 level. Previously he played for , for whom he was the youngest-ever first-team player, appearing at the age of 16 years and 59 days...
, signed the previous day on loan from Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
doubled the lead with a low thirty-yard free-kick. Daniel Bogdanovic
Daniel Bogdanovic
Danijel Bogdanović , more commonly spelled Daniel Bogdanović, is a Maltese professional footballer of Serb descent who plays as a striker for Blackpool.- Playing career :...
opened his scoring account for Ian Holloway's men with the third, on 83 minutes. Two minutes into injury time, Brett Ormerod made it four. Bogdanovic scored his second and Blackpool's fifth in the 94th minute.
After a two-week break, Blackpool suffered a heavy defeat, 4–0, at the hands of West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
. They dropped to thirteenth place with the loss.
Three days later, they returned to winning ways courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Tom Ince. It was his second of the game. He had levelled proceedings just after the hour mark with his first goal for the club. The three points lifted Blackpool to eighth.
Two successive defeats ensued — 1–2 at Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
and 1–3 at Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
— before a 5–0 whitewash of Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
on 2 November. It was former Seasiders manager Simon Grayson
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson....
's first meeting with the club since he left them in 2006. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka
Paul Rachubka
Paul Stephen Rachubka is an American-English professional Association football goalkeeper who plays for Leeds United after joining the club from Blackpool ....
, who crossed the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
during the summer, was at fault for three of Blackpool's goals, and he was withdrawn at half time in favour of 18-year-old Alex Cairns
Alex Cairns
Alexander "Alex" Cairns is an English footballer who plays for Leeds United as a goalkeeper.-Club career:Cairns is a product of Leeds' youth academy, he made his first team debut on 2 November as a half time substitute, after second choice goalkeeper Paul Rachubka was substituted at half time...
. Blackpool climbed to eighth place with the victory.
Three days later, Blackpool hosted Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
at Bloomfield Road in what was Ian Holloway's 100th league game in charge of the club. Kevin Phillips struck the only goal of the game on 61 minutes, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute for Keith Southern. It was Phillips' seventh goal of the campaign. Blackpool, who had taken six points and scored as many goals in four days, moved up to fifth. It was also their second-consecutive clean sheet.
Two 2–2 draws ensued — at Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 19 November, then the following week at home to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. Ludovic Sylvestre
Ludovic Sylvestre
Ludovic Sylvestre is a French football player of Guadeloupean descent. He plays in England for Blackpool...
and Jonjo Shelvey netted in the first fixture, while full-back duo Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
and Neal Eardley
Neal Eardley
Neal James Eardley is a Welsh international footballer who plays for Blackpool. His predominant position is as a right back...
scored the goals in the latter. Blackpool moved into the play-off places with the second of the two points.
Pre-season
Blackpool F.C.Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
s 2011–12 season started on 5 August 2011. It is the club's first season back in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, the second tier of English professional football, after being relegated from the Premier League at the conclusion of 2010–11
2010–11 Blackpool F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Blackpool F.C.s debut season in the Premier League, after winning the 2009–10 Championship play-off Final in what was their 100th consecutive season in the Football League. It was also their 28th overall season in English football's top tier, but their first since 1971. It...
campaign, and their 104th overall season in the Football League. It is Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
's third season as manager.
Pre-season
Over the summer, the club released nine players. They were goalkeepers Paul RachubkaPaul Rachubka
Paul Stephen Rachubka is an American-English professional Association football goalkeeper who plays for Leeds United after joining the club from Blackpool ....
and Richard Kingson
Richard Kingson
Richard Paul Franck Kingson is a Ghanaian professional football goalkeeper, who is currently a free agent. He is also known as Faruk Gürsoy and is frequently misnamed Kingston due to "irregularity on his identity documents"...
; defenders Rob Edwards, David Carney
David Carney
David Raymond Carney is an Australian football player who plays left winger for Spanish club AD Alcorcón and as a left-back or left winger for the Australian national team.- Junior career :...
and Danny Coid
Danny Coid
Daniel John "Danny" Coid is an English professional footballer who plays for Accrington Stanley.-Blackpool:Born in Liverpool, Merseyside, Coid started his career with Blackpool in 1995, when he was in the youth team. He was then a trainee before signing his first professional contract in 1998...
; midfielders Malaury Martin (who did not make any appearances for the club), former club captain Jason Euell
Jason Euell
Jason Joseph Euell is a Jamaican-English football player who plays for Charlton Athletic. He can play as either a forward or a midfielder...
and Ishmel Demontagnac
Ishmel Demontagnac
Ishmel Abendigo Demontagnac is an English footballer who plays for Notts County as a winger. Only his first name is displayed on the back of his shirt.Demontagnac previously played for Walsall...
; and forward Marlon Harewood
Marlon Harewood
Marlon Anderson Harewood is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Guangzhou R&F in China.Harewood started his career at Nottingham Forest. During his career there, he had loan spells at Haka and Ipswich Town before joining West Ham United in 2003 and then Aston Villa in 2007...
. In addition, on-loan defender Salaheddine Sbaï
Salaheddine Sbai
Salaheddine Sbaï is a Moroccan footballer who currently is a free agent.-Club career:Sbaï began his career for the youth side at Charleroi and was loaned out for the 2004/2005 season to Ronse...
returned to Nîmes
Nîmes Olympique
Nîmes Olympique is a French association football club based in Nîmes. The club was formed on 10 April 1937 and currently play in Championnat National, the third level of French football. The club's only achievement was winning Ligue 2 in 1950 and the Championnat National in 1997...
without appearing for the Seasiders, forward Sergei Kornilenko
Sergei Kornilenko
Sergei Aleksandrovich Kornilenko is a Belarusian professional footballer who plays for FC Krylia Sovetov Samara.- Career :Vitebsk-born Kornilenko began his career in his native Belarus as a trainee with FC Dinamo Minsk before joining his hometown club...
's loan move was also not made permanent, and midfielder Andy Reid
Andy Reid (footballer)
Andrew Matthew "Andy" Reid is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest in the Football League Championship. He plays as a midfielder and has also represented the Republic of Ireland.-Personal life:...
decided to not to extend his short-term contract.
The first arrival at Bloomfield Road was midfielder Bojan Djordjic
Bojan Djordjic
Bojan Djordjic is a Swedish footballer of ethnic Serbian descent...
, who had played under Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
at Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
.
Two more departures occurred in early July. Midfielder Charlie Adam
Charlie Adam
Charles Graham "Charlie" Adam is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liverpool and the Scotland national football team....
sealed his move to Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
's Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for a £7-million fee. The Blackpool supporters' Player of the Year the previous term and Adam's midfield partner for the previous campaign, David Vaughan
David Vaughan (footballer)
David Owen Vaughan is a Welsh footballer who plays for Sunderland. He plays as a midfielder.Vaughan previously played for Crewe Alexandra, where he spent seven years between 2000 and 2007...
, also left after turning down a new contract. He signed for Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
on 7 July.
Also in early July, the club tied-up contract extensions with four players: goalkeeper Matthew Gilks
Matthew Gilks
Matthew "Matt" Gilks is a football goalkeeper who plays for Blackpool. He previously played for Rochdale for seven years before moving to Norwich City in 2007. He stayed one season with the Canaries without making a first-team appearance...
and defenders Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
, Ashley Eastham
Ashley Eastham
Ashley Thomas J. Eastham is an English professional football player. He plays as a defender for Blackpool. His main position is centre-back.-Early career at Blackpool; Loan move to Hyde United:...
and Ian Evatt
Ian Evatt
Ian Ross Evatt is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackpool.He began his professional career in 1999 at Derby County and has also played for Northampton Town , Chesterfield and Queens Park Rangers.-Early life:...
.
On 9 July, former Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
left back Matt Hill signed on a free transfer. He joined the club at their pre-season training camp in Portugal.
The following day, former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
striker and European Golden Shoe winner Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
joined, again on a free transfer.
On 18 July, the eve of Blackpool's first pre-season friendly against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, the club signed 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Gerardo Bruna
Gerardo Bruna
Gerardo Alfredo Bruna Blanco is an Spanish-Argentine professional footballer who plays for Blackpool as a midfielder.-Liverpool:Playmaker Gerardo Bruna arrived from Real Madrid in the summer of 2007....
from Liverpool on a two-year contract.
Four days later, former Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
international midfielder Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
signed from Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, where he had been playing with Kevin Phillips, for £750,000, in a two-year deal with an option for a third. Fellow Scot, left-back Robert Harris
Robert Harris (footballer)
Robert "Bob" Harris is a Scottish footballer who plays for Blackpool. His position is left back.Harris started at Clyde before making over 100 first team appearances for Queen of the South for whom he played in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final...
, joined from Queen of the South
Queen of the South
For other uses see Queen of the South Queen of the South is an alternative title for the Queen of Sheba. The phrase Queen of the South is used in the New Testament and is attributed to Jesus Christ....
. Another defender, Paul Bignot
Paul Bignot
Paul Junior Bignot is an English footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle on loan from Blackpool as a defender. He made over 20 appearances in the Football League with Crewe Alexandra. His older brother Marcus was also a professional footballer.-Crewe Alexandra:Birmingham-born Bignot started his...
, became Ian Holloway's third signing in 24 hours when he joined from Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
.
On 25 July, Spanish midfielder Ángel Martínez joined on a two-year contract, with an option for a third, from Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 31 going into Blackpool's final pre-season friendly against Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
the following day.
Prior to the evening kick-off against Hibs, Blackpool completed the signing of 22-year-old Scottish striker Craig Sutherland
Craig Sutherland
Craig Stephen Sutherland is a Scottish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Blackpool, as a centre-forward.-Blackpool:London-born Sutherland joined Blackpool on 26 July 2011 from the North Carolina State University...
, who was playing in the US college leagues.
A tenth close-season signing occurred on 3 August, when Liverpool midfielder Tom Ince, son of former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
captain Paul
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
, put pen to paper to seal a two-year deal, with an option for a third year.
On the eve of the new season, D. J. Campbell sealed his drawn-out move to Q.P.R.
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £1.2 million. The same day, Spanish centre back Miguel Ángel Llera
Miguel Ángel Llera
Miguel Ángel Llera Garzón is a Spanish footballer who plays for Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Blackpool in England, as a central defender.-Spain:...
joined the club on a free transfer. He had been on trial with the Seasiders, and scored a free-kick in Blackpool's friendly defeat to Lancaster City three days earlier. The same day, Louis Almond
Louis Almond
Louis James Almond is an English professional football player. He plays as a forward for Barrow AFC on loan from Blackpool.-Career:...
joined Barrow on loan. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 33 to choose from for the 5 August League visit to Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
Season proper
Hull City hosted Ian Holloway's men in a Friday-night curtain-raiser for the 2011–12 Football League season. Six of the players that started against Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the club's final Premier League fixture 75 days earlier were featured in the starting line-up. They were Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
, Ian Evatt
Ian Evatt
Ian Ross Evatt is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackpool.He began his professional career in 1999 at Derby County and has also played for Northampton Town , Chesterfield and Queens Park Rangers.-Early life:...
, Alex Baptiste
Alex Baptiste
Alexander Aaron John "Alex" Baptiste is an English footballer who plays for Blackpool. He usually plays in central defence, but has also played at both full back positions and as a defensive midfielder.-Mansfield Town:...
, Keith Southern
Keith Southern
Keith William Southern is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool. He is a central midfielder and is the longest-serving player currently at Bloomfield Road.-Early career: Everton and loan move to Blackpool:...
and Gary Taylor-Fletcher
Gary Taylor-Fletcher
Gary Taylor-Fletcher is an English footballer. He plays for Blackpool and is a midfielder who can also play as a forward...
. Meanwhile, starting debuts were given to Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
and Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
, while fellow new boy Craig Sutherland
Craig Sutherland
Craig Stephen Sutherland is a Scottish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Blackpool, as a centre-forward.-Blackpool:London-born Sutherland joined Blackpool on 26 July 2011 from the North Carolina State University...
came on as a late substitute for Taylor-Fletcher. Matt Hill was an unused substitute. It was Taylor-Fletcher who scored the only goal of the game, on 81 minutes, to give Blackpool a perfect start to the campaign. The Tangerines topped the table for less than 24 hours, however: Ipswich Town replaced them the following day after their 3–0 victory at Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
.
Six days later, Blackpool travelled to Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
to take on Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in the first round of the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, with Ian Holloway naming a completely different starting eleven to that of the previous game. The tie finished goalless after both ninety minutes of normal time and thirty of extra. To a penalty shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
it went, and Wednesday, managed by former Seasiders boss Gary Megson
Gary Megson
Gary John Megson is an English former football player and is currently manager of Sheffield Wednesday.He has previously managed Norwich City, Blackpool, Stockport County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers...
, won 4–2.
It was back to League action on 14 August, and Blackpool hosted Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
for the first home
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
fixture of the campaign. Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
opened the scoring one minute before half-time. He then doubled the Tangerines lead three minutes into the second half. Six minutes from time, the visitors' George Boyd
George Boyd (footballer)
George Ian Boyd is a footballer who plays for Peterborough United as a winger.Boyd started his career in the Charlton Athletic youth system, joining Stevenage Borough of the Conference National in 2001 and making his first-team debut in 2002. Boyd spent five seasons at Stevenage, scoring over...
pulled one back. With their victory, which maintained their 100% start to the League campaign, Blackpool moved up to third in the table. With his substitute appearance, Matt Phillips
Matt Phillips
Matthew "Matt" Phillips is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool.Phillips is a winger and previously played for Wycombe Wanderers...
became the 26th player used by Ian Holloway in their three games.
The Seasiders then hosted Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in a midweek fixture at Bloomfield Road. The visitors, with a single goal, inflicted the hosts' first League defeat of the campaign. Blackpool slipped five places to eighth as a result.
On 19 August, Ian Holloway's men endured an eight-and-a-half-hour coach ride down to the south coast to face Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
the following day. Craig Mackail-Smith
Craig Mackail-Smith
Craig Anthony Robert Mackail-Smith is a footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker. He has also played for England C and at full international level for Scotland...
opened the scoring for the Seagulls just before the half-hour mark. The lead was doubled five minutes into the second half via Ashley Barnes
Ashley Barnes
Ashley Luke Barnes is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker, having previously played for Paulton Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Oxford United, Salisbury City, Eastbourne Borough and Torquay United...
. Kevin Phillips pulled one back for the Tangerines on the hour mark, before levelling matters in the 90th minute. It was Phillips' fourth goal in as many games for his new club. Blackpool remained eighth.
Eight days later, Blackpool again took to the road, this time Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
being the opposition. Alex Baptiste opened his goalscoring account for the season, with a 41st-minute strike. With eleven minutes remaining, Glenn Murray
Glenn Murray
Glenn Murray is an English footballer who plays for Crystal Palace as a striker. Prior to joining Crystal Palace in June 2011, Murray has previously played for Brighton, Carlisle, Rochdale, Stockport, Barrow, Workington Reds and Wilmington Hammerheads.-Early career:Born in Maryport, Cumbria, after...
equalised for the Eagles. Blackpool climbed to seventh place with the result.
On 31 August, transfer-deadline day in England, Blackpool secured the services of two players. The first, in a permanent, one-year deal, was Maltese forward Daniel Bogdanović
Daniel Bogdanovic
Danijel Bogdanović , more commonly spelled Daniel Bogdanović, is a Maltese professional footballer of Serb descent who plays as a striker for Blackpool.- Playing career :...
, from Sheffield United for ₤250,000. The other was West Bromwich Albion right-back James Hurst
James Hurst (footballer)
James Hurst is an English footballer who plays for Shrewsbury Town on loan from West Bromwich Albion as a defender.-Career:...
, on loan for the rest of the season. He was, however, recalled in October.
After an international
International football
International football generally refers to association football matches between representative national teams carried out under the regulation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
break, Blackpool hosted Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
's Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
at Bloomfield Road on 10 September. After a goalless first half, Gary Taylor-Fletcher put the hosts ahead four minutes after the break. Barry Ferguson, with his first goal in English football for seven years, doubled Blackpool's lead on the hour mark, before leaving the game with a hamstring injury with fourteen minutes remaining. Blackpool climbed one place to seventh with their victory. With eleven points taken from a possible eighteen, it has been Blackpool's best start to a League season in twenty years.
Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
were the visitors to Bloomfield Road a week later – the first meeting between the two clubs since Blackpool's victory in the play-off final sixteen months earlier. The visitors took the lead through Don Cowie four minutes into the second half. Kevin Phillips equalised for the Tangerines just after the hour mark – his fifth League goal in seven games. Blackpool remained seventh with the point gained.
On 24 September, Blackpool made the long trip to the south coast to face Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
. Matt Phillips was given a rare start by Ian Holloway, but the 20-year-old missed two golden chances in the first half. He was substituted in favour of Ludo Sylvestre nine minutes after the restart. The game remained goalless until the fourth minute of added time, when Norwegian Erik Huseklepp
Erik Huseklepp
Erik André Huseklepp is a Norwegian footballer forward who plays for Portsmouth and the Norwegian national team.-Early career:At the age of 18 he played youth football for Fyllingen...
netted the vital goal. Blackpool slipped one place to eighth with the defeat, which ended a four-game unbeaten streak.
Three days later, Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
were the opposition at the Ricoh Arena
Ricoh Arena
The Ricoh Arena , home to Coventry City F.C., is a stadium complex situated in the Rowleys Green district of the city of Coventry, England containing a 32,609 seater football stadium, a 6,000 square-metre exhibition hall, a hotel, a leisure club, and a casino...
. Gary Taylor-Fletcher opened the scoring on eighteen minutes. Gary Deegan
Gary Deegan
Gary Deegan is an Irish footballer currently playing for English Championship side Coventry City.-Early career:...
leveled for the hosts an hour later. Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Isaac Paul Jutkiewicz is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Championship club Coventry City.-Southampton:...
put the Sky Blues ahead five minutes later, before Keith Southern
Keith Southern
Keith William Southern is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool. He is a central midfielder and is the longest-serving player currently at Bloomfield Road.-Early career: Everton and loan move to Blackpool:...
equalised two minutes into stoppage time. Blackpool sat in tenth place with the result.
On 1 October, Blackpool marked their tenth League fixture with a 5–0 victory over Bristol City at Bloomfield Road. Gary Taylor-Fletcher, with his fourth goal of the season, put the Tangerines in front eight minutes before the break. Jonjo Shelvey
Jonjo Shelvey
Jonjo Shelvey is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool. A midfielder, he has represented and also captained England at U19 level. Previously he played for , for whom he was the youngest-ever first-team player, appearing at the age of 16 years and 59 days...
, signed the previous day on loan from Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
doubled the lead with a low thirty-yard free-kick. Daniel Bogdanovic
Daniel Bogdanovic
Danijel Bogdanović , more commonly spelled Daniel Bogdanović, is a Maltese professional footballer of Serb descent who plays as a striker for Blackpool.- Playing career :...
opened his scoring account for Ian Holloway's men with the third, on 83 minutes. Two minutes into injury time, Brett Ormerod made it four. Bogdanovic scored his second and Blackpool's fifth in the 94th minute.
After a two-week break, Blackpool suffered a heavy defeat, 4–0, at the hands of West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
. They dropped to thirteenth place with the loss.
Three days later, they returned to winning ways courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Tom Ince. It was his second of the game. He had levelled proceedings just after the hour mark with his first goal for the club. The three points lifted Blackpool to eighth.
Two successive defeats ensued — 1–2 at Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
and 1–3 at Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
— before a 5–0 whitewash of Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
on 2 November. It was former Seasiders manager Simon Grayson
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson....
's first meeting with the club since he left them in 2006. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka
Paul Rachubka
Paul Stephen Rachubka is an American-English professional Association football goalkeeper who plays for Leeds United after joining the club from Blackpool ....
, who crossed the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
during the summer, was at fault for three of Blackpool's goals, and he was withdrawn at half time in favour of 18-year-old Alex Cairns
Alex Cairns
Alexander "Alex" Cairns is an English footballer who plays for Leeds United as a goalkeeper.-Club career:Cairns is a product of Leeds' youth academy, he made his first team debut on 2 November as a half time substitute, after second choice goalkeeper Paul Rachubka was substituted at half time...
. Blackpool climbed to eighth place with the victory.
Three days later, Blackpool hosted Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
at Bloomfield Road in what was Ian Holloway's 100th league game in charge of the club. Kevin Phillips struck the only goal of the game on 61 minutes, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute for Keith Southern. It was Phillips' seventh goal of the campaign. Blackpool, who had taken six points and scored as many goals in four days, moved up to fifth. It was also their second-consecutive clean sheet.
Two 2–2 draws ensued — at Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 19 November, then the following week at home to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. Ludovic Sylvestre
Ludovic Sylvestre
Ludovic Sylvestre is a French football player of Guadeloupean descent. He plays in England for Blackpool...
and Jonjo Shelvey netted in the first fixture, while full-back duo Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
and Neal Eardley
Neal Eardley
Neal James Eardley is a Welsh international footballer who plays for Blackpool. His predominant position is as a right back...
scored the goals in the latter. Blackpool moved into the play-off places with the second of the two points.
Pre-season
Blackpool F.C.Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
s 2011–12 season started on 5 August 2011. It is the club's first season back in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, the second tier of English professional football, after being relegated from the Premier League at the conclusion of 2010–11
2010–11 Blackpool F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Blackpool F.C.s debut season in the Premier League, after winning the 2009–10 Championship play-off Final in what was their 100th consecutive season in the Football League. It was also their 28th overall season in English football's top tier, but their first since 1971. It...
campaign, and their 104th overall season in the Football League. It is Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
's third season as manager.
Pre-season
Over the summer, the club released nine players. They were goalkeepers Paul RachubkaPaul Rachubka
Paul Stephen Rachubka is an American-English professional Association football goalkeeper who plays for Leeds United after joining the club from Blackpool ....
and Richard Kingson
Richard Kingson
Richard Paul Franck Kingson is a Ghanaian professional football goalkeeper, who is currently a free agent. He is also known as Faruk Gürsoy and is frequently misnamed Kingston due to "irregularity on his identity documents"...
; defenders Rob Edwards, David Carney
David Carney
David Raymond Carney is an Australian football player who plays left winger for Spanish club AD Alcorcón and as a left-back or left winger for the Australian national team.- Junior career :...
and Danny Coid
Danny Coid
Daniel John "Danny" Coid is an English professional footballer who plays for Accrington Stanley.-Blackpool:Born in Liverpool, Merseyside, Coid started his career with Blackpool in 1995, when he was in the youth team. He was then a trainee before signing his first professional contract in 1998...
; midfielders Malaury Martin (who did not make any appearances for the club), former club captain Jason Euell
Jason Euell
Jason Joseph Euell is a Jamaican-English football player who plays for Charlton Athletic. He can play as either a forward or a midfielder...
and Ishmel Demontagnac
Ishmel Demontagnac
Ishmel Abendigo Demontagnac is an English footballer who plays for Notts County as a winger. Only his first name is displayed on the back of his shirt.Demontagnac previously played for Walsall...
; and forward Marlon Harewood
Marlon Harewood
Marlon Anderson Harewood is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Guangzhou R&F in China.Harewood started his career at Nottingham Forest. During his career there, he had loan spells at Haka and Ipswich Town before joining West Ham United in 2003 and then Aston Villa in 2007...
. In addition, on-loan defender Salaheddine Sbaï
Salaheddine Sbai
Salaheddine Sbaï is a Moroccan footballer who currently is a free agent.-Club career:Sbaï began his career for the youth side at Charleroi and was loaned out for the 2004/2005 season to Ronse...
returned to Nîmes
Nîmes Olympique
Nîmes Olympique is a French association football club based in Nîmes. The club was formed on 10 April 1937 and currently play in Championnat National, the third level of French football. The club's only achievement was winning Ligue 2 in 1950 and the Championnat National in 1997...
without appearing for the Seasiders, forward Sergei Kornilenko
Sergei Kornilenko
Sergei Aleksandrovich Kornilenko is a Belarusian professional footballer who plays for FC Krylia Sovetov Samara.- Career :Vitebsk-born Kornilenko began his career in his native Belarus as a trainee with FC Dinamo Minsk before joining his hometown club...
's loan move was also not made permanent, and midfielder Andy Reid
Andy Reid (footballer)
Andrew Matthew "Andy" Reid is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest in the Football League Championship. He plays as a midfielder and has also represented the Republic of Ireland.-Personal life:...
decided to not to extend his short-term contract.
The first arrival at Bloomfield Road was midfielder Bojan Djordjic
Bojan Djordjic
Bojan Djordjic is a Swedish footballer of ethnic Serbian descent...
, who had played under Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
at Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
.
Two more departures occurred in early July. Midfielder Charlie Adam
Charlie Adam
Charles Graham "Charlie" Adam is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liverpool and the Scotland national football team....
sealed his move to Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
's Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for a £7-million fee. The Blackpool supporters' Player of the Year the previous term and Adam's midfield partner for the previous campaign, David Vaughan
David Vaughan (footballer)
David Owen Vaughan is a Welsh footballer who plays for Sunderland. He plays as a midfielder.Vaughan previously played for Crewe Alexandra, where he spent seven years between 2000 and 2007...
, also left after turning down a new contract. He signed for Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
on 7 July.
Also in early July, the club tied-up contract extensions with four players: goalkeeper Matthew Gilks
Matthew Gilks
Matthew "Matt" Gilks is a football goalkeeper who plays for Blackpool. He previously played for Rochdale for seven years before moving to Norwich City in 2007. He stayed one season with the Canaries without making a first-team appearance...
and defenders Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
, Ashley Eastham
Ashley Eastham
Ashley Thomas J. Eastham is an English professional football player. He plays as a defender for Blackpool. His main position is centre-back.-Early career at Blackpool; Loan move to Hyde United:...
and Ian Evatt
Ian Evatt
Ian Ross Evatt is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackpool.He began his professional career in 1999 at Derby County and has also played for Northampton Town , Chesterfield and Queens Park Rangers.-Early life:...
.
On 9 July, former Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
left back Matt Hill signed on a free transfer. He joined the club at their pre-season training camp in Portugal.
The following day, former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
striker and European Golden Shoe winner Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
joined, again on a free transfer.
On 18 July, the eve of Blackpool's first pre-season friendly against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, the club signed 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Gerardo Bruna
Gerardo Bruna
Gerardo Alfredo Bruna Blanco is an Spanish-Argentine professional footballer who plays for Blackpool as a midfielder.-Liverpool:Playmaker Gerardo Bruna arrived from Real Madrid in the summer of 2007....
from Liverpool on a two-year contract.
Four days later, former Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
international midfielder Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
signed from Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, where he had been playing with Kevin Phillips, for £750,000, in a two-year deal with an option for a third. Fellow Scot, left-back Robert Harris
Robert Harris (footballer)
Robert "Bob" Harris is a Scottish footballer who plays for Blackpool. His position is left back.Harris started at Clyde before making over 100 first team appearances for Queen of the South for whom he played in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final...
, joined from Queen of the South
Queen of the South
For other uses see Queen of the South Queen of the South is an alternative title for the Queen of Sheba. The phrase Queen of the South is used in the New Testament and is attributed to Jesus Christ....
. Another defender, Paul Bignot
Paul Bignot
Paul Junior Bignot is an English footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle on loan from Blackpool as a defender. He made over 20 appearances in the Football League with Crewe Alexandra. His older brother Marcus was also a professional footballer.-Crewe Alexandra:Birmingham-born Bignot started his...
, became Ian Holloway's third signing in 24 hours when he joined from Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
.
On 25 July, Spanish midfielder Ángel Martínez joined on a two-year contract, with an option for a third, from Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 31 going into Blackpool's final pre-season friendly against Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
the following day.
Prior to the evening kick-off against Hibs, Blackpool completed the signing of 22-year-old Scottish striker Craig Sutherland
Craig Sutherland
Craig Stephen Sutherland is a Scottish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Blackpool, as a centre-forward.-Blackpool:London-born Sutherland joined Blackpool on 26 July 2011 from the North Carolina State University...
, who was playing in the US college leagues.
A tenth close-season signing occurred on 3 August, when Liverpool midfielder Tom Ince, son of former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
captain Paul
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
, put pen to paper to seal a two-year deal, with an option for a third year.
On the eve of the new season, D. J. Campbell sealed his drawn-out move to Q.P.R.
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £1.2 million. The same day, Spanish centre back Miguel Ángel Llera
Miguel Ángel Llera
Miguel Ángel Llera Garzón is a Spanish footballer who plays for Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Blackpool in England, as a central defender.-Spain:...
joined the club on a free transfer. He had been on trial with the Seasiders, and scored a free-kick in Blackpool's friendly defeat to Lancaster City three days earlier. The same day, Louis Almond
Louis Almond
Louis James Almond is an English professional football player. He plays as a forward for Barrow AFC on loan from Blackpool.-Career:...
joined Barrow on loan. This gave Ian Holloway a squad of 33 to choose from for the 5 August League visit to Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
Season proper
Hull City hosted Ian Holloway's men in a Friday-night curtain-raiser for the 2011–12 Football League season. Six of the players that started against Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the club's final Premier League fixture 75 days earlier were featured in the starting line-up. They were Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
, Ian Evatt
Ian Evatt
Ian Ross Evatt is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackpool.He began his professional career in 1999 at Derby County and has also played for Northampton Town , Chesterfield and Queens Park Rangers.-Early life:...
, Alex Baptiste
Alex Baptiste
Alexander Aaron John "Alex" Baptiste is an English footballer who plays for Blackpool. He usually plays in central defence, but has also played at both full back positions and as a defensive midfielder.-Mansfield Town:...
, Keith Southern
Keith Southern
Keith William Southern is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool. He is a central midfielder and is the longest-serving player currently at Bloomfield Road.-Early career: Everton and loan move to Blackpool:...
and Gary Taylor-Fletcher
Gary Taylor-Fletcher
Gary Taylor-Fletcher is an English footballer. He plays for Blackpool and is a midfielder who can also play as a forward...
. Meanwhile, starting debuts were given to Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
and Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
, while fellow new boy Craig Sutherland
Craig Sutherland
Craig Stephen Sutherland is a Scottish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Blackpool, as a centre-forward.-Blackpool:London-born Sutherland joined Blackpool on 26 July 2011 from the North Carolina State University...
came on as a late substitute for Taylor-Fletcher. Matt Hill was an unused substitute. It was Taylor-Fletcher who scored the only goal of the game, on 81 minutes, to give Blackpool a perfect start to the campaign. The Tangerines topped the table for less than 24 hours, however: Ipswich Town replaced them the following day after their 3–0 victory at Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
.
Six days later, Blackpool travelled to Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
to take on Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in the first round of the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, with Ian Holloway naming a completely different starting eleven to that of the previous game. The tie finished goalless after both ninety minutes of normal time and thirty of extra. To a penalty shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
it went, and Wednesday, managed by former Seasiders boss Gary Megson
Gary Megson
Gary John Megson is an English former football player and is currently manager of Sheffield Wednesday.He has previously managed Norwich City, Blackpool, Stockport County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers...
, won 4–2.
It was back to League action on 14 August, and Blackpool hosted Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
for the first home
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
fixture of the campaign. Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
opened the scoring one minute before half-time. He then doubled the Tangerines lead three minutes into the second half. Six minutes from time, the visitors' George Boyd
George Boyd (footballer)
George Ian Boyd is a footballer who plays for Peterborough United as a winger.Boyd started his career in the Charlton Athletic youth system, joining Stevenage Borough of the Conference National in 2001 and making his first-team debut in 2002. Boyd spent five seasons at Stevenage, scoring over...
pulled one back. With their victory, which maintained their 100% start to the League campaign, Blackpool moved up to third in the table. With his substitute appearance, Matt Phillips
Matt Phillips
Matthew "Matt" Phillips is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool.Phillips is a winger and previously played for Wycombe Wanderers...
became the 26th player used by Ian Holloway in their three games.
The Seasiders then hosted Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in a midweek fixture at Bloomfield Road. The visitors, with a single goal, inflicted the hosts' first League defeat of the campaign. Blackpool slipped five places to eighth as a result.
On 19 August, Ian Holloway's men endured an eight-and-a-half-hour coach ride down to the south coast to face Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
the following day. Craig Mackail-Smith
Craig Mackail-Smith
Craig Anthony Robert Mackail-Smith is a footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker. He has also played for England C and at full international level for Scotland...
opened the scoring for the Seagulls just before the half-hour mark. The lead was doubled five minutes into the second half via Ashley Barnes
Ashley Barnes
Ashley Luke Barnes is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker, having previously played for Paulton Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Oxford United, Salisbury City, Eastbourne Borough and Torquay United...
. Kevin Phillips pulled one back for the Tangerines on the hour mark, before levelling matters in the 90th minute. It was Phillips' fourth goal in as many games for his new club. Blackpool remained eighth.
Eight days later, Blackpool again took to the road, this time Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
being the opposition. Alex Baptiste opened his goalscoring account for the season, with a 41st-minute strike. With eleven minutes remaining, Glenn Murray
Glenn Murray
Glenn Murray is an English footballer who plays for Crystal Palace as a striker. Prior to joining Crystal Palace in June 2011, Murray has previously played for Brighton, Carlisle, Rochdale, Stockport, Barrow, Workington Reds and Wilmington Hammerheads.-Early career:Born in Maryport, Cumbria, after...
equalised for the Eagles. Blackpool climbed to seventh place with the result.
On 31 August, transfer-deadline day in England, Blackpool secured the services of two players. The first, in a permanent, one-year deal, was Maltese forward Daniel Bogdanović
Daniel Bogdanovic
Danijel Bogdanović , more commonly spelled Daniel Bogdanović, is a Maltese professional footballer of Serb descent who plays as a striker for Blackpool.- Playing career :...
, from Sheffield United for ₤250,000. The other was West Bromwich Albion right-back James Hurst
James Hurst (footballer)
James Hurst is an English footballer who plays for Shrewsbury Town on loan from West Bromwich Albion as a defender.-Career:...
, on loan for the rest of the season. He was, however, recalled in October.
After an international
International football
International football generally refers to association football matches between representative national teams carried out under the regulation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
break, Blackpool hosted Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
's Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
at Bloomfield Road on 10 September. After a goalless first half, Gary Taylor-Fletcher put the hosts ahead four minutes after the break. Barry Ferguson, with his first goal in English football for seven years, doubled Blackpool's lead on the hour mark, before leaving the game with a hamstring injury with fourteen minutes remaining. Blackpool climbed one place to seventh with their victory. With eleven points taken from a possible eighteen, it has been Blackpool's best start to a League season in twenty years.
Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
were the visitors to Bloomfield Road a week later – the first meeting between the two clubs since Blackpool's victory in the play-off final sixteen months earlier. The visitors took the lead through Don Cowie four minutes into the second half. Kevin Phillips equalised for the Tangerines just after the hour mark – his fifth League goal in seven games. Blackpool remained seventh with the point gained.
On 24 September, Blackpool made the long trip to the south coast to face Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
. Matt Phillips was given a rare start by Ian Holloway, but the 20-year-old missed two golden chances in the first half. He was substituted in favour of Ludo Sylvestre nine minutes after the restart. The game remained goalless until the fourth minute of added time, when Norwegian Erik Huseklepp
Erik Huseklepp
Erik André Huseklepp is a Norwegian footballer forward who plays for Portsmouth and the Norwegian national team.-Early career:At the age of 18 he played youth football for Fyllingen...
netted the vital goal. Blackpool slipped one place to eighth with the defeat, which ended a four-game unbeaten streak.
Three days later, Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
were the opposition at the Ricoh Arena
Ricoh Arena
The Ricoh Arena , home to Coventry City F.C., is a stadium complex situated in the Rowleys Green district of the city of Coventry, England containing a 32,609 seater football stadium, a 6,000 square-metre exhibition hall, a hotel, a leisure club, and a casino...
. Gary Taylor-Fletcher opened the scoring on eighteen minutes. Gary Deegan
Gary Deegan
Gary Deegan is an Irish footballer currently playing for English Championship side Coventry City.-Early career:...
leveled for the hosts an hour later. Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Isaac Paul Jutkiewicz is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Championship club Coventry City.-Southampton:...
put the Sky Blues ahead five minutes later, before Keith Southern
Keith Southern
Keith William Southern is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool. He is a central midfielder and is the longest-serving player currently at Bloomfield Road.-Early career: Everton and loan move to Blackpool:...
equalised two minutes into stoppage time. Blackpool sat in tenth place with the result.
On 1 October, Blackpool marked their tenth League fixture with a 5–0 victory over Bristol City at Bloomfield Road. Gary Taylor-Fletcher, with his fourth goal of the season, put the Tangerines in front eight minutes before the break. Jonjo Shelvey
Jonjo Shelvey
Jonjo Shelvey is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool. A midfielder, he has represented and also captained England at U19 level. Previously he played for , for whom he was the youngest-ever first-team player, appearing at the age of 16 years and 59 days...
, signed the previous day on loan from Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
doubled the lead with a low thirty-yard free-kick. Daniel Bogdanovic
Daniel Bogdanovic
Danijel Bogdanović , more commonly spelled Daniel Bogdanović, is a Maltese professional footballer of Serb descent who plays as a striker for Blackpool.- Playing career :...
opened his scoring account for Ian Holloway's men with the third, on 83 minutes. Two minutes into injury time, Brett Ormerod made it four. Bogdanovic scored his second and Blackpool's fifth in the 94th minute.
After a two-week break, Blackpool suffered a heavy defeat, 4–0, at the hands of West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
. They dropped to thirteenth place with the loss.
Three days later, they returned to winning ways courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Tom Ince. It was his second of the game. He had levelled proceedings just after the hour mark with his first goal for the club. The three points lifted Blackpool to eighth.
Two successive defeats ensued — 1–2 at Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
and 1–3 at Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
— before a 5–0 whitewash of Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
on 2 November. It was former Seasiders manager Simon Grayson
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson....
's first meeting with the club since he left them in 2006. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka
Paul Rachubka
Paul Stephen Rachubka is an American-English professional Association football goalkeeper who plays for Leeds United after joining the club from Blackpool ....
, who crossed the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
during the summer, was at fault for three of Blackpool's goals, and he was withdrawn at half time in favour of 18-year-old Alex Cairns
Alex Cairns
Alexander "Alex" Cairns is an English footballer who plays for Leeds United as a goalkeeper.-Club career:Cairns is a product of Leeds' youth academy, he made his first team debut on 2 November as a half time substitute, after second choice goalkeeper Paul Rachubka was substituted at half time...
. Blackpool climbed to eighth place with the victory.
Three days later, Blackpool hosted Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
at Bloomfield Road in what was Ian Holloway's 100th league game in charge of the club. Kevin Phillips struck the only goal of the game on 61 minutes, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute for Keith Southern. It was Phillips' seventh goal of the campaign. Blackpool, who had taken six points and scored as many goals in four days, moved up to fifth. It was also their second-consecutive clean sheet.
Two 2–2 draws ensued — at Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 19 November, then the following week at home to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. Ludovic Sylvestre
Ludovic Sylvestre
Ludovic Sylvestre is a French football player of Guadeloupean descent. He plays in England for Blackpool...
and Jonjo Shelvey netted in the first fixture, while full-back duo Stephen Crainey
Stephen Crainey
Stephen Daniel Crainey is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left back for Blackpool and the Scottish national team. He has also represented Scotland at under-21 level.-Celtic and Southampton:...
and Neal Eardley
Neal Eardley
Neal James Eardley is a Welsh international footballer who plays for Blackpool. His predominant position is as a right back...
scored the goals in the latter. Blackpool moved into the play-off places with the second of the two points.
Pre-season
Championship
Carling Cup
Squad statistics
|}Players used: 31
Goals scored: 30 (30 League)
Players in
| Player | From | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Bojan Djordjic Bojan Djordjic Bojan Djordjic is a Swedish footballer of ethnic Serbian descent... |
Free | |
| Matt Hill | Free | |
| Kevin Phillips Kevin Phillips (footballer) Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy... |
Free | |
| Gerardo Bruna Gerardo Bruna Gerardo Alfredo Bruna Blanco is an Spanish-Argentine professional footballer who plays for Blackpool as a midfielder.-Liverpool:Playmaker Gerardo Bruna arrived from Real Madrid in the summer of 2007.... |
Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
Undisclosed |
| Barry Ferguson Barry Ferguson Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame... |
Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... |
£750,000 |
| Robert Harris Robert Harris (footballer) Robert "Bob" Harris is a Scottish footballer who plays for Blackpool. His position is left back.Harris started at Clyde before making over 100 first team appearances for Queen of the South for whom he played in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final... |
Queen of the South Queen of the South F.C. Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS... |
Free |
| Paul Bignot Paul Bignot Paul Junior Bignot is an English footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle on loan from Blackpool as a defender. He made over 20 appearances in the Football League with Crewe Alexandra. His older brother Marcus was also a professional footballer.-Crewe Alexandra:Birmingham-born Bignot started his... |
Newport County Newport County A.F.C. Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system... |
Undisclosed |
| Ángel Martínez | Espanyol RCD Espanyol Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009... |
Undisclosed |
| Craig Sutherland Craig Sutherland Craig Stephen Sutherland is a Scottish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Blackpool, as a centre-forward.-Blackpool:London-born Sutherland joined Blackpool on 26 July 2011 from the North Carolina State University... |
North Carolina State Wolfpack | Undisclosed |
| Tom Ince | Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
Undisclosed |
| Miguel Llera Miguel Ángel Llera Miguel Ángel Llera Garzón is a Spanish footballer who plays for Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Blackpool in England, as a central defender.-Spain:... |
Free | |
| Daniel Bogdanović Daniel Bogdanovic Danijel Bogdanović , more commonly spelled Daniel Bogdanović, is a Maltese professional footballer of Serb descent who plays as a striker for Blackpool.- Playing career :... |
Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
₤250,000 |
| James Hurst James Hurst (footballer) James Hurst is an English footballer who plays for Shrewsbury Town on loan from West Bromwich Albion as a defender.-Career:... |
West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
Season-long loan (recalled in October) |
| Mark Howard | Aberdeen Aberdeen F.C. Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen... |
Free |
| Jonjo Shelvey Jonjo Shelvey Jonjo Shelvey is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool. A midfielder, he has represented and also captained England at U19 level. Previously he played for , for whom he was the youngest-ever first-team player, appearing at the age of 16 years and 59 days... |
Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
Loan |
| Lomana LuaLua Lomana LuaLua Lomana Trésor LuaLua is a Congolese footballer who plays for Blackpool, and the Congo DR national football team.LuaLua was born in Kinshasa, but moved to England at a young age. After impressing in a college football match, he signed for Colchester United. There, he scored a total of 21 goals in... |
Free | |
| Callum McManaman Callum McManaman Callum Henry McManaman is an English footballer who plays for Blackpool on loan from Wigan Athletic, as a striker. He is also a distant relative of former Liverpool player Steve McManaman.-Club career:... |
Wigan Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... |
Loan |
Players out
| Player | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Rachubka Paul Rachubka Paul Stephen Rachubka is an American-English professional Association football goalkeeper who plays for Leeds United after joining the club from Blackpool .... |
Free | |
| Richard Kingson Richard Kingson Richard Paul Franck Kingson is a Ghanaian professional football goalkeeper, who is currently a free agent. He is also known as Faruk Gürsoy and is frequently misnamed Kingston due to "irregularity on his identity documents"... |
Free | |
| Rob Edwards | Free | |
| Danny Coid Danny Coid Daniel John "Danny" Coid is an English professional footballer who plays for Accrington Stanley.-Blackpool:Born in Liverpool, Merseyside, Coid started his career with Blackpool in 1995, when he was in the youth team. He was then a trainee before signing his first professional contract in 1998... |
Free | |
| Malaury Martin | Free | |
| Marlon Harewood Marlon Harewood Marlon Anderson Harewood is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Guangzhou R&F in China.Harewood started his career at Nottingham Forest. During his career there, he had loan spells at Haka and Ipswich Town before joining West Ham United in 2003 and then Aston Villa in 2007... |
Free | |
| Jason Euell Jason Euell Jason Joseph Euell is a Jamaican-English football player who plays for Charlton Athletic. He can play as either a forward or a midfielder... |
Free | |
| David Carney David Carney David Raymond Carney is an Australian football player who plays left winger for Spanish club AD Alcorcón and as a left-back or left winger for the Australian national team.- Junior career :... |
Free | |
| Andy Reid Andy Reid (footballer) Andrew Matthew "Andy" Reid is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest in the Football League Championship. He plays as a midfielder and has also represented the Republic of Ireland.-Personal life:... |
Free | |
| Salaheddine Sbai Salaheddine Sbai Salaheddine Sbaï is a Moroccan footballer who currently is a free agent.-Club career:Sbaï began his career for the youth side at Charleroi and was loaned out for the 2004/2005 season to Ronse... |
Free | |
| Ishmel Demontagnac Ishmel Demontagnac Ishmel Abendigo Demontagnac is an English footballer who plays for Notts County as a winger. Only his first name is displayed on the back of his shirt.Demontagnac previously played for Walsall... |
Free | |
| David Vaughan David Vaughan (footballer) David Owen Vaughan is a Welsh footballer who plays for Sunderland. He plays as a midfielder.Vaughan previously played for Crewe Alexandra, where he spent seven years between 2000 and 2007... |
Free | |
| Charlie Adam Charlie Adam Charles Graham "Charlie" Adam is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liverpool and the Scotland national football team.... |
Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
₤7,000,000 |
| D. J. Campbell | Q.P.R. Queens Park Rangers F.C. Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years... |
Undisclosed |
| Ashley Eastham Ashley Eastham Ashley Thomas J. Eastham is an English professional football player. He plays as a defender for Blackpool. His main position is centre-back.-Early career at Blackpool; Loan move to Hyde United:... |
Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
Loan |
| Louis Almond Louis Almond Louis James Almond is an English professional football player. He plays as a forward for Barrow AFC on loan from Blackpool.-Career:... |
Barrow Barrow A.F.C. Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have... |
Loan |
| Thomas Barkhuizen Thomas Barkhuizen Thomas John Barkhuizen is an English footballer who plays for Hereford United as a forward on loan from Blackpool.-Career:Born in Blackpool, Barkhuizen played junior football on the Fylde coast with Blackpool Rangers.... |
Hereford United Hereford United F.C. Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',... |
Loan |
| Chris Kettings | Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... |
Loan |
| Miguel Llera | Brentford Brentford F.C. Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One.... |
Loan |
| Josh Egan | Bath City Bath City F.C. Bath City Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Bath, Somerset. They play in the Conference National league after gaining promotion from the Conference South via the play-offs in May 2010... |
Unknown |
| Billy Clarke | Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
Loan |
| Matt Phillips Matt Phillips Matthew "Matt" Phillips is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool.Phillips is a winger and previously played for Wycombe Wanderers... |
Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
Loan |
| Paul Bignot Paul Bignot Paul Junior Bignot is an English footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle on loan from Blackpool as a defender. He made over 20 appearances in the Football League with Crewe Alexandra. His older brother Marcus was also a professional footballer.-Crewe Alexandra:Birmingham-born Bignot started his... |
Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle F.C. Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the... |
Loan |
| Mark Halstead Mark Halstead Mark James Halstead is an English footballer who plays for Stockport County on loan from Blackpool as a goalkeeper.-Blackpool:... |
Stockport County Stockport County F.C. Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport... |
Loan |
| Craig Sutherland Craig Sutherland Craig Stephen Sutherland is a Scottish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Blackpool, as a centre-forward.-Blackpool:London-born Sutherland joined Blackpool on 26 July 2011 from the North Carolina State University... |
Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle F.C. Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the... |
Loan |
| Miguel Llera | Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the... |
Loan |
| Chris Kettings | Woodley Sports Woodley Sports F.C. Woodley Sports F.C. is a football club based in Woodley, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. They were established in 1970 as Woodley Athletic, and play at the Neil Rourke Memorial Stadium. In 1992, they became champions of the Manchester League Division One, and were promoted to the Manchester... |
Loan |
