Blackpool a fairytale by the sea

This Sunday Blackpool could secure a place in the Championship play-offs. The Seasider’s are a tiny club compared to some of the other clubs in the division, yet they continue to punch above their weight.

Team

Blackpool’s success has been built on team spirit. The squad is made up of good hard working professionals and it’s that work ethic that has propelled the club to such a lofty position. Blackpool’s glory years are in the long distance past but a little of that glory could be returning.

Holloway

There is no denying that Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has done a fantastic job at the club. He has continued the good work started by former-boss Simon Grayson and moved the Tangerines up a level from midtable last season to promotion chasers this season.

Holloway is underrated in my opinion and it’s hard not to like the guy. He is such a big character and seems to be a superb motivator. He is a manager that players give their all for and he gets his reward for the respect he shows his players. He is an expert at man-management and it shows in the results that Blackpool have achieved under him.

He has to be the favourite for Championship Manager of the Year after the job he’s done with the Tangerines. It’s a shame he hasn’t been given a chance to manage at a higher level. However if Blackpool win the play-offs then he will get that chance to manage at the highest level and he really does deserve that opportunity.

Board

The Blackpool board need to be given credit for their choice of managers in recent years. They have made very shrewd appointments and Holloway is just the latest in a long line of very good bosses of the club.

The board have to be commended for the job they have done in keeping the club stable and in good financial shape. Their hard work could be richly rewarded by a place in the big time next season.

Quality

Blackpool star player this season has been former-Rangers midfielder Charlie Adam. The Scottish ace cost the club a record fee of £500,000 but he has proved an inspiration for the Tangerines this season.

Holloway took a chance on the 24 year-old and it’s paid of immensely. Adam was recently named in the Championship Team of the Year. He should also be in the running for Player of the Season. Adam now has a host of clubs interested in his services.

Should Blackpool do the unthinkable and make it into the Premier League I believe he would stay with the club. It seems he feels he owes the club for giving him a regular platform to perform on. He failed to secure regular action with Rangers.

However since his arrival at Blackpool he has almost single-handedly carried the team at times but has been well assisted by his hard working teammates. A return of 16 league goals has helped fired his team into the play-off spots and he has also been responsible for numerous assists.

Hopes

Blackpool needs to secure a better result than seventh place Swansea when they host Bristol City at Bloomfield Road to make it into the play-offs. To win the play-offs and make it into the Premier League would probably have been beyond the Blackpool fans wildest dreams at the start of the season.

As we seen in the last few days with Fulham making it into the Europa League final anything is possible. Blackpool making the Premier League would be even more incredible than the Cottagers making a European final.

I for one would love to see the Tangerines in the Premier League. I believe they would be a popular club in the top flight and everybody loves an underdog. They are not a club yet equip for the top flight of English football but even one season in the Premier League could set up the Tangerines for years to come and I hope they have their season in the sun.