Blackpool Supporters' Liaison Officer column: Everyone can be proud of first season back in Championship

Days out at Bloomfield Road don’t get much better than that. There were a lot of youngsters there, watching Blackpool FC for the first time – what an introduction. And our fans were in fantastic voice, as they have been throughout.

It has been, by any standards, a great first season back in the Championship. After an understandably shaky start, the manager and squad have done us proud to finish in mid table, and higher than either of the other two promoted sides – one of which is going straight back down.

A few more goals and a few more points from our remaining games will do nicely, to finish on a positive run. Let’s make the final home game against Derby County on 30th April a fitting celebration of, and thank you to, the 2021/22 team, some of whom (in the nature of things) may not be with us next time.

To be realistic, a challenge for promotion this year would have been premature. As fans, most of us would love to see Blackpool playing again at the highest level.

The lure of the Premier League is undeniable, but I’m sure the Club would want to be better-prepared for that eventuality than we were in 2010, both in terms of the squad and the infrastructure.

It becomes a bigger step up and harder to sustain every year. You have only to look at Fulham, promoted to the Premier League three times in the last five years and dropping straight back down twice.

Simon Sadler and his board have always said that rebuilding Blackpool into a vibrant and successful community-based club is a long-term project.

Significant progress has been made each season so far, and there are ambitious plans on the blocks for the new training-ground and for further stadium development in the next few years.

Sustained success, however, is built on playing attractive football and getting results, from the youth team right up to the senior squad, while still working within a sensible budget.

To which end, I’m sure the board will be backing Neil Critchley and John Stephenson to strengthen our senior squad in a number of positions this summer.

For those of you who were at Deepdale recently, just an update that I’ve collated a series of issues to address with West Lancashire Police.

There will be a debrief meeting with the police and fans’ representatives will be invited. Let’s hope that when the local derbies against Preston come around next time, we can enjoy the football and the rivalry without the flashpoints and frustrations that marred the aftermath of both games.

This is my last SLO column of the campaign. I wish you all a brilliant summer and look forward to seeing everyone back at Bloomfield Road from July onwards in a show of tangerine, for the next stage of the great Blackpool FC adventure.

2022/23 will present different challenges from our first term back in the Championship – not least because it will be a season of two halves, with a five-week ‘winter’ break from mid-November to accommodate the Qatar World Cup. What a strange world it can be when money rules sport.

In the interim, if you wish to contact me for any reason to do with supporter issues or have queries or suggestions, feel free to do so by email: [email protected] or message me: @BFCSLO on Facebook or Twitter – it’s what I’m here for. UTMP!

Steve Rowland, SLO