Blackpool in the Premier League: Turning the clock back 10 years to the frozen Christmas of 2010

On the weekend before Christmas a decade ago, the December cold snap again saw the Seasiders frozen off (they should have faced Tottenham), but manager Ian Holloway was still in demand as STEVE CANAVAN reported in The Gazette...

Ian Holloway missed out on the Coach of the Year honour at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards but it won’t dampen his spirits as he bids to keep Pool’s Premier League bandwagon rolling over a hectic Christmas period.

The Seasiders boss attended the BBC’s big bash in Birmingham and was on the shortlist for the top coach prize, along with Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and England cricket coach Andy Flower.

And although Holloway was probably a touch disappointed to be pipped by Montgomerie, the very fact he made the final three illustrates how much he has achieved during a remarkable 12 months.

Holloway now turns his attention to four games in 10 days, starting with Liverpool’s visit to Bloomfield Road on Boxing Day.

The immediate problem is finding somewhere to train, with most of the Fylde coast covered in snow and ice.

Successive Premier League games at Bloomfield Road have been frozen off and Holloway doesn’t want fixtures to pile up in the second half of the season.

The Pool boss admitted: “We are trying to learn as a club and improve, but short of sticking a few hairdryers on the pitch I don’t know what we could have done to prevent the Tottenham game being called off.

“ There was heavy snow overnight, and although the surface was probably playable there was no way we could guarantee the safety of the fans, particularly those travelling from London.

“ It is a shame because I was really looking forward to a cracking contest. It means we have to rearrange yet another match, which I don’t like because games in hand add to the schedule and mean you are in a false position in the league.

“Almost every other Premier League game was called off, so it wasn’t as if we were the only ones who couldn’t get a match on.

“ We can’t control nature, and we just have to get on with it and look forward to the next game, which isn’t a bad one – Liverpool on Boxing Day.”

The postponement of the Spurs game was a major blow for Charlie Adam.

It means his one-game ban for picking up five bookings now carries over to the clash with Roy Hodgson’s Reds.

Assistant boss Steve Thompson says Adam’s suspension is all the more frustrating because his fifth yellow card, collected for a nothing aerial challenge at Bolton, was so harsh.

Thompson said: “ It was a 50-50 challenge. The ball was up there to be won and he didn’t lead with his elbow.”

Meanwhile, Holloway says the Seasiders won’t go daft and offer their best players piles of cash to stay because that’s a surefire way to start trouble.

Holloway believes the reason Pool is a happy camp with terrific team spirit is because they do things their own unique way.

“ I had a phone call the other day from an agent I’ve got two players with,” said the boss. “ Neither of them is playing at the moment but he was very nice to me, talking about their future and what they might want.

“ If they had longer contracts, like their agent wanted them to have, they could be moaning now and causing all sorts of trouble because they’re not being picked.

“ If that was the case, I might have a mutiny on my hands, like some managers have. But I haven’t got that because I have the power.

“ Take the likes of David Vaughan and Matt Gilks, both out of contract at the end of the season. We have made them offers and we want them to stay.

“ But are we going to go crazy? No, because if we push it for one or two, we will have to do it for them all eventually, and that is something my chairman won’t do.”

Holloway reiterated that he won’t be doing too much business during next month’s transfer window.

“ I’d be happy to stick with what I’ve got in January because there’s no guarantee you’ll get anything better.

“And how many did we bring in during the summer? I wouldn’t want to go through that again.

“ I’m more concerned about trying to secure your David Vaughans and Luke Varneys because I know they’re good players.”