Blackpool - 20Questions...

Last updated : 25 August 2005 By Bigrich.....

Who are you; where are you from and how long have you supported your club?
Hi Peter Gillatt website editor of Seasiders.net since 1997 a "sandgrownun" i.e born in the shadow of the Tower and now living in Lytham St Annes I've followed Blackpool since 1970.

What was your first game?
My first game was our first home match in the old First Division on a warm sunny Monday evening on August 17th 1970 against Liverpool the game ended 0-0 with a 27,000 attendance. Blackpool: Thompson, Armfield, Mowbray, Bentley, James, Hatton, Brown, Craven, Pickering, Suddick, Hutchison whilst Liverpool had Clemence, Lawler, Ross, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Callaghan, Evans, Graham, McLaughlin, Thompson.

Blackpool's average attendance in their last season in the top flight was 20,404 beating Burnley 16,169, Ipswich Town 20,389, Nottingham Forest 19,040 and Stoke City 19,982.

Describe the most memorable and worst game you've seen and why?
Most memorable - The 2001 play-off final 4-2 win over Leyton Orient at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Blackpool were in 91st position earlier in the season and we returned straight back to League One at the first time of asking with an unforgettable final which saw the Seasiders recover from being behind twice. The 2-0 defeat by yourselves at Millmoor in 1992 was quite depressing it condemned us at a stroke to the agonising play-offs for a second year running although this time we were winners at Wembley and able to rejoin you in Division Three.

Who do you consider as your current local rivals, and why?
Whichever Division they may be in - it will always be Preston North End - two teams which find themselves at both ends of the M55 they are our nearest football neighbours and as such and have historically always been our No.1 rivals.

Who are the best and worst players you have seen?

Tony Green, Alan Suddick and Mickey Walsh remain the finest Blackpool players I've seen but I saw Kenny Dalgleish make his home debut for Liverpool and as such would be my No.1 choice.
Worst - I've seen a few at Blackpool Mike Summerbee at the end of his career was truly awful and Tony Diamond was a shocker as well.

How did you fare last season?
Survival was paramount after spending most of the first half of the season rooted firmly at the foot of the table we eventually recovered to 16th place

How do you think you'll finish up this season?

Difficult to say Blackpool have not had the best of starts - a 3-1 defeat by Chesterfield at home on the opening day of the season and who have since not won another game themselves gives you a clue. Mid-table mediocrity but the bookies have us again as relegation fodder.

If Blackpool were a TV personality, who would it be and why?
Peter Kay - we make all the other teams laugh.

So what do you think of The Millers?
Hugely impressed with your run in the Championship you were a shining beacon for other smaller clubs following your promotion in 2001. Expected you to do well this term.

TC
Which current or former Rotherham player impressed you most?
Tony Cunningham who was an exceptional and gifted forward and memorably scored against Newcastle United for Blackpool in the League Cup when he intercepted a poor backpass from who else but a young "Gazza" himself Paul Gascoigne.

Is your manager barking mad?
The previous manager Steve McMahon certainly was .

Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
As with most club's we share a love hate relationship with our Chairman - Karl Oyston ability to keep the club solvent but unwilling to invest in players is a familiar tale.

Your ground looks better, when's the away end going to be built??

We were promised signs of steelwork when the Bloomfield Road bridge had been demolished and the new roadway network completed now the latest excuse is after the Hotel which will be built by the club and after we've let out enough office space in the unbuilt Stand - who knows?

Which team do you want to beat the most this season and why?
It was Nottingham Forest but everyone is doing that anyway I'd love to do the double over Huddersfield my colleague at work is a massive terrier fan

What sort of line-up can we expect from you?

Very similar to the one that defeated Hull City mid week.

Who's your strongest / Weakest link??
Captain fantastic is Peter Clarke our England U21 star captured from Everton - Our current weakest link is midfield the loss of Richie Wellens to Oldham during the summer has been noticeable and both John Doolan his replacement from Doncaster and the popular Keith Southern have yet to form a creative partnership.

Predicted score?

Predictable 1-1 draw is the best I can hope for unless of course the line-up that beat Hull is given a chance then it may become interesting.

Who's going up?
Not us! Oldham have all the aces, Bradford and Huddersfield will be up there although it's very open this year.

Who's going down?

MK Dons please!! looks like Chesterfield and Colchester will be joining them and anyone else currently in the bottom half.

Meat & Tatty, Beef n Onion or Chicken Balti?

Always Meat & Tatty preferably Holland's as well.