It’s just under 12 months since Neil Critchley shocked, stunned and horrified the majority of Blackpool fans by walking out and joining Aston Villa as assistant manager, having led the tangerines to 16th in the Championship and committed to a five-year contract. Almost 12 months to the day, Blackpool have confirmed his return. This decision is one that has already split fans, with many being caught up in the emotions surrounding his departure which led towards the disastrous campaign and, ultimately relegation, while others are excited for a return to the same style that had become notable wit ..read more

After a standoffish first half in the 1-0 defeat to Swansea, Blackpool came out much more improved and played some decent football. The sustained pressure didn’t fall for them and Swansea were able to counter on the break and nick a sickening goal to claim all three points. But, I want to address more than a lucky three points from a team who kept possession but rarely threatened, in this blog. There’s several things I feel I need to get of my chest, and I know some others will agree, for those that maybe quick to dismiss or disagree please hear me out on this one! The past couple of years wit ..read more

“And you may ask yourself, ‘Well how did I get here?’” Talking Heads – “Once in a lifetime” Two months is a long time in football. At the end of May, Blackpool fans had reasons to be optimistic. Under Neil Critchley, the side finished 16th with survival almost guaranteed from February. Our exciting young manager was under contract until 2026 and for the first time in decades, it felt like Blackpool had the time and stability to push on and further climb the Championship table. At the end of July and with less than a week before the new season, the bookies are now giving odds that imply a 21st ..read more

Michael Appleton is back for a second spell as Blackpool’s head coach, with a remit to “kick-on” and continue Blackpool’s progress in the Championship. But what has he been up to over the last decade, and what should Blackpool fans expect? Michael Appleton is not popular among Blackpool fans. We know it. He knows it. Simon Sadler knows it. In his first stint at the club, he was our shortest-serving manager ever. Overseeing just 11 games, his team produced two wins, two losses and seven draws. After 65 days, he moved across Lancashire and joined local rivals Blackburn Rovers (who also had signi ..read more

Us Blackpool fans are riding the crest of a wave at the moment. The recent news about the long-awaited training ground and East Stand plans getting underway, closely followed by the club’s handling of the Jake Daniels news as he became the first gay professional footballer in the UK in over 30 years, has genuinely made me the proudest I’ve ever felt to be a Blackpool fan. It feels like a really pivotal period in Blackpool FC’s history, as we really start to look to an exciting future with Simon Sadler at the helm of our club and we truly start to appreciate the club’s motto of ‘Progress‘ like ..read more

After back to back defeats effectively ended our season, focus now turns to the summer Transfer Window. I take a look at the positions that require strengthening in order for Blackpool to compete at the top end of the championship next season. There’s been a lot of inactivity from utmp on the blog front, but the ships been sailing nicely and in all honesty we’ve been enjoying the journey! Not to say that this blog will be all doom and gloom, far from it, but the recent losses against a top tier side in Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest and them across the M55 has highlighted areas for growth or ..read more

This is the third article in a series looking at Blackpool’s set-up across the pitch. The previous pieces looked at how Blackpool replicate the world’s elite by attacking with five players and use an effective “double pivot” in midfield. In this article, we’ll look at Blackpool’s centre-back partnership through the analogy of household pets. Are you a dog person or a cat person? And – I promise this is related – are you a Richard Keogh fan or a Marvin Ekpiteta fan? With the exception of the recent wide centre-backs seen by Sheffield United / Atalanta, the centre of defence is rarely a place of ..read more

This is the second in a series looking at Blackpool’s tactics in all aspects of the game. The previous piece, published in September, looked at how Blackpool replicate the world’s elite by attacking with five players. In this article, we’ll look at Blackpool’s midfield – and how we use a double pivot to get the best out of our squad. Neil Critchley has built a reputation as a ‘tinkerman’; only naming an unchanged side five times in his 80 games in charge of the Seasiders. However, while players come in and out and formations change, the presence of a “double pivot” in midfield has become a mai ..read more

International breaks give you the chance to sit back and consider where we’re at as a football club. What a joy it is to study the Championship league table and see us sat nicely in the top half, above PNE and with a nice cushion between ourselves and the relegation zone. We’re only a point off the play-offs so can even afford to get slightly carried away and excited if we like. But if there’s one thing we know about Simon Sadler and the Blackpool board, we know they’ll be planning far beyond the upcoming January transfer window and have plenty of items still on the wishlist that Sadler’s been ..read more

After a standoffish first half in the 1-0 defeat to Swansea, Blackpool came out much more improved and played some decent football. The sustained pressure didn’t fall for them and Swansea were able to counter on the break and nick a sickening goal to claim all three points. But, I want to address more than a lucky three points from a team who kept possession but rarely threatened, in this blog. There’s several things I feel I need to get of my chest, and I know some others will agree, for those that maybe quick to dismiss or disagree please hear me out on this one! The past couple of years wit ..read more