'It's well documented'- Ex-Blackpool and Swansea City midfielder sets the record straight on tough Bloomfield Road spell

Former Blackpool promotion-winner Adrian Forbes admits it’s disappointing he didn’t experience a stronger relationship with the fans during his time on the Fylde Coast.

The 46-year-old, who is now head coach and sporting director of American side Texoma FC, was part of the Seasiders’ team that won promotion from League One in 2007 - featuring in the starting XI that claimed a 2-0 victory over Yeovil Town in the play-off final at Wembley.

Following his move from Swansea City in 2006, the wide midfielder featured 46 times in Tangerine, scoring once, before his departure in 2008.

Forbes, who also represented the likes of Norwich City and Luton Town during his playing career, admits the quality of the squad during his time at Blackpool helped the club to overcome the other hurdles that were in their way.

Discussing his initial arrival, he explained: “The way the move came about from playing against Blackpool the year before for Swansea. Simon Grayson was actually playing in that game. I did quite well, and he was quite impressed with what he saw. They struggled to deal with me, so my name became an option.

“It took me a little while to move, there were still a few things rumbling on at Swansea and other teams showed interest, but I thought: ‘I’ve not moved up north before so let’s give it a go’ - and the rest is history.

“Squires Gate was quite old, and quite run down. It wasn’t particularly well maintained. To be in a position where you’re mid-training session and the manager has to stop what he’s saying because there’s a plane flying over that low was quite surreal for me.

“It really wasn’t fit for purpose, but Simon put together a group of players that had unbelievable team spirit.

“For everything Shaun Barker couldn’t do at right back, I could do in front of him, and everything I couldn’t do, he could do behind me. Then you had Ian Evatt complimenting him, then Keith Southern, and the talisman of Wes Hoolahan.

“Despite Squires Gate not being great, we put together a group that was good tactically and technically.

“There’s certain players with certain characteristics where you know they will go on to play at a higher level. If I look at myself, with the attributes I had, I should’ve played at a higher level, but my issue was my levels of consistency. I would have games of the season, then four when I wasn’t at the required standard.

“With the likes of Ian Evatt, who was my roommate for my whole time at Blackpool, to see what he achieved was an absolute joy.

“While I didn’t get to play in the Premier League, I know I was part of the team that started the growth of the club.

“It came as a shock that Blackpool ended up where they did, but not a shock that those players did.”

Bloomfield Road difficulties and fan relationship

Blackpool won promotion from League One in Forbes first season with the club, but despite enjoying team success, it wasn’t plain sailing for the Texoma coach.

“It’s well documented that I had a real tough time there,” he added.

“The fans didn’t take to me in any way, shape or form. They couldn’t see anything that I brought to the table; although my teammates did.

“It’s disappointing because at Norwich, Luton and Swansea, I had that rapport with the fans, and they saw what I could do. For whatever reason, the Blackpool fans didn’t like the way I played, and vocalised it.

“They might think if you boo a player then they’ll play better, but it’s never going to work like that.

“It’s one of the biggest disappointments, because I was never recognised for my work rate for the team - I was viewed as someone who didn’t score goals. They didn’t didn’t see that my work off the ball allowed Wes (Hoolahan) to go and flourish.

“They had an opinion of me that wasn’t just, but there’s nothing I can do about that now. I don’t think they got to see the true Adrian Forbes, but at the end of the season we were promoted, so I must’ve done something right.

“I had to amend and adapt my game massively for the style the manager wanted to play. At Swansea I was an attack-minded player, but I wasn’t able to play that way for Blackpool, and knew I had to sacrifice my form for the greater good.

“That led to Simon Grayson dropping me for a game for a player called Chris Brandon. He came in and scored two goals on his debut, and I scored one in 39 starts.

“Going into our last league game at Swansea, Chris got a straight red card the week before, so I was put back in and created three or four goals. I then played well against Oldham in the two semi-finals, and then the final itself.

“After the bit of adversity throughout the season, to get into the starting 11 and have the trust of the manager was something really special for me, and it’s something I’m personally proud of.

“I was up against a left back called Nathan Jones in the final. I’d played against him countless times, and it was always a good battle, so to get one over on him was good. I actually ended up being his assistant at Luton Town years later.”

A special occasion at Wembley

Alongside the achievement of claiming a place in the Championship, the play-off final came with an extra special sense of meaning for Forbes.

“It was amazing, I was born and brought up a mile from Wembley - literally a few bus stops away,” he stated.

“To get the opportunity to play there, and have so many friends and family there was amazing. To play on that pitch and walk up those steps to lift the trophy was great. It’s not something I expected.

“You dream of doing it as a kid, but you never think it’s going to happen. I would stand on the main road to watch England teams or FA Cup finalists driving past, thinking ‘if only one day.’

“To be in the situation to be on that team bus on that road with the police escort was really amazing. It was a dream come true, and maybe the highlight of my career.

“We went on an unbeaten run to get into the play-offs, so to be part of that is something I hold dearly. We were set the task of staying in the league, and we got promoted, so that shows the work that Simon Grayson did.”

Blackpool departure

Six months on from Blackpool’s big day at Wembley, Forbes departed the club for Millwall, after struggling for minutes in the Championship at Bloomfield Road.

“If you’ve been around the game a long time then you know it’s the nature of the beast,” he admitted.

“The relationship I had with the fans, the relationship I had with the manager at the time, I knew it was going to come, it was just a case of at what point.

“I didn’t think it would end up with me leaving in the January, but you know eventually that situation will arise. From a promotion team, you know there’s going to be casualties.

“While it was disappointing, I had been around the block long enough to know these things happened. It was what it is because that’s the game. Ultimately it was the right decision when you look at what the club did after that. There’s no bitterness from that point of view, I just wish fans could’ve understood what my role was.”

The Seasiders will travel to the Peninsula Stadium on Tuesday July 22 (K.O. 7.30pm), in what will be their fourth friendly of the month.

Head coach Steve Bruce will come up against his son Alex when the two teams go head-to-head, with the retired defender being part of Karl Robinson’s backroom staff.

Your next story from the Gazette: When the summer transfer window is set to reopen - as Blackpool look to build.