Football Season Guide

The tragicomedy that Blackpool F.C. has become under the ownership of the Oyston family shows no sign of ending any time soon. Just five years again the Tangerines were enjoying the bright lights and the big money of the Premier League under manager Ian Holloway but he was unable to keep them in the big time and they have not stopped sliding down the leagues since. Two further relegations has seen them drop back into the bottom tier of English football for the first time since 2001. It would be fair to say there was little cause for optimism at the start of last season with rookie boss Neil McDonald accepting the poisoned chalice by the Oystons. He inherited a rag-tag group of players and was given meagre resources to strengthen his squad. After a desperate start to the season there were realistic hopes they might stay up but a 5-1 thrashing by Peterborough United on the final day of the season meant a 22nd place finish and another relegation. The board accepted responsibility for the drop but sacked McDonald anyway and the latest to put them forward for the Bloomfield Road hot seat is former Blackburn Rovers boss Gary Bowyer. Some of the dead-wood have left the club and he has begun rebuilding his squad ahead of what promises to be another testing campaign. On paper some of his acquisitions look promising with full-back Andy Taylor joining from Walsall, midfielder Marc Pugh signing from Bury and striker Jamille Matt arriving from neighbours Fleetwood Town. Whilst events on the pitch ought to matter most, it will be the continuing furore off the pitch that is likely to have the greater implications and if the club doesn’t arrest its’ downward spiral soon, they could find themselves fighting for their Football League status.