Blackpool legends reunite in emotional meeting over the weekend as ex-QPR and Leicester boss awaits first league win with new club
There was a Blackpool elsewhere in Lancashire over the weekend.
While the Seasiders were drawing 0-0 with Northampton Town at Bloomfield Road on Saturday afternoon, Accrington Stanley welcomed Swindon Town to the Wham Stadium.
Legendary ex-Blackpool manager Ian Holloway was appointed as the Robins’ head coach at the end of last month, and has taken charge of four competitive games in all competitions so far.
The 61-year-old was on the Fylde Coast between 2009 and 2012, after previously managing the likes of Bristol Rovers, QPR and Leicester City.
During his first season with the Seasiders, he guided the club to the Premier League via the play-offs, and created a campaign full of memories in the top flight, despite ultimately being relegated.
A member of Holloway’s iconic Blackpool team was Brett Ormerod - who was in attendance to watch Swindon’s 2-2 draw with Accrington.
Ahead of the game, BBC Radio Lancashire captured the moment the retired striker was reunited with his former boss, with the pair sharing a hug.
Since taking over at the County Ground, Holloway has picked up wins in both the FA Cup and EFL Trophy, but is still waiting for a victory in League Two, with the Robins currently sat 22nd in the table.
Earlier this month, Ormerod discussed the effect the legendary Bristolian manager had upon his arrival at Bloomfield Road, stating: “His impact at Blackpool was almost instant, it was pretty much a fairytale from the moment he walked through the door.
“He changed the mentality straight away, from hoping to just survive in the league to thinking ‘why not.’
“To quote Oscar Wilde: ‘We’re all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.’
“He took everyone by a whirlwind on his first day with a 4-3-3 formation and a style of play he’d learnt from watching Spanish football. It was like he had reinvented the wheel.He put that into us, along with the belief.
“I remember him saying he’d get me back into the Premier League, and I sort of laughed out loud. My career seemed to be on the decline, but then I think I finished that year as second-top scorer and got the winner in the final.
“I’m indebted to him for what he did for me, and what he did for Blackpool. He took everyone with him.”