Blackpool boss eyes history but warns nothing has been won yet: Ten years on from Blackpool’s promotion to the Premier League

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be dipping into the archives to bring you STEVE CANAVAN’S Gazette reports from a decade ago on Blackpool’s remarkable journey to the promised land.

Ten years ago, boss Ian Holloway had an eye on creating history with his Blackpool players...

A jubilant Ian Holloway says it would be “magnificent” if he could become the first manager to guide the Seasiders to the top flight since 1970.

Forty years after Jimmy Armfield and co became the the last Blackpool team to play among the footballing elite, Pool are 90 minutes away from booking their place in the play-offs for the Premier League.

The 1-0 win at Peterborough made it six wins from the last seven games and saw them leapfrog Swansea, who slipped up at Sheffield United. Swansea host Doncaster on the final day next Sunday.

As long as Pool, who take on Bristol City at Bloomfield Road, match the Swans’ result they will be in the play-offs.

Holloway, who has transformed the club from relegation favourites to promotion candidates, is ecstatic.

But the manager has been in football a long time and he is warning everybody, both players and supporters, to keep their feet on the ground.

“I am delighted with what we have done, getting into the top six, and the style in which we’ve done it,” said Holloway.

“The boys at this club are a bit special and I hope history repeats itself.

“It would be magnificent if that happens, 40 years after that other group of players.

“But, let’s get this straight, we haven’t done anything yet.

“We’ve given ourselves a chance to do something and I want us to take this opportunity.

“But it isn’t done yet and any one of our fans who thinks it is… well, they should stop celebrating and get real.

“We now have 90 minutes left against Bristol City and it will be the hardest 90 minutes of our lives… unless we go 3-0 up after 20 minutes and I can’t imagine that happening.

“It is all about fate. We have got to match whatever Swansea do. We haven’t got to beat it now, we’ve got to match it.

“But we haven’t done that yet. And Swansea, with the greatest respect to my lot, are a fantastic team.

“They will be at home against Doncaster, we’re at home against Bristol City and you know what can happen in the Championship, absolutely anything. So we cannot take anything for granted or afford to lose our concentration.

“But all I know is Blackpool can get in the last play-off position with one game left of the season. So until next weekend, let’s have a drink on that.”

Pool have been in the play-offs twice in recent times, and triumphed on both occasions.

Steve McMahon’s team came from behind to beat Leyton Orient at the Millennium Stadium in 2001.

Six years later Simon Grayson led the Seasiders to victory over Yeovil at Wembley to secure promotion to the Championship.

The feeling within the dressing room is that despite being written off by the critics at the start of the campaign, this squad has the ability and talent to make the play-offs and they see no reason why they can’t go up to the top flight.

The manager is wary of making predictions but he is happy for his players to be so confident.

“I don’t want the lads to calm down. I want them to be full of energy and to look forward to the next game and enjoy it,” he said.

“They are the ones that have done the hard work and deserve the credit and I have said all season what a wonderful bunch of lads they are.

“There were times on Saturday when we actually looked a bit energyless. That was because of the pressure and we have to learn to deal with that.

“But I think we have banished the mindset we used to have, this ‘we’re a little club and we’re happy to be in the Championship’ theory.

“I don’t think we’re a little club at all. Have a look at our fans and some of the players we’ve got.

“We might have a smaller budget than everyone else but you can’t take the passion out of people or the heart out of a club and this club is magnificent.”

DJ Campbell was praised for his character and professionalism after putting off-the-field distractions to one side and firing Pool to victory.

The Seasiders striker was questioned by police just 48 hours before the Peterborough game, in connection with an incident at a London nightclub earlier this year.

But he appeared undeterred on Saturday as he produced a fine performance, capped by claiming the decisive goal in Pool’s 1-0 victory.

“It just shows DJ’s character,” said the boss.

“Whatever the police do is up to them but the boy couldn’t wait to get back up.

“He scored a goal, which has put us in a play-off position.

“He was a threat all afternoon and he was fantastic for us. My team helped him through and hopefully I’ve helped him through it.

“He was probably at the wrong place at the wrong time. But that doesn’t make him a criminal. He is a hero for me at the minute.”

Campbell has also received support from inside the dressing room.

Striker Stephen Dobbie said: “DJ is a professional and he just gets on with football. We don’t talk about other things that go on outside of the dressing room.”