Ex-Blackpool midfielder reflects on mentality during boycott years, Wembley absence, and influence of Stockport County boss
Former Blackpool midfielder Danny Philliskirk reflects on his time at Bloomfield Road.
Danny Philliskirk states players had a sense of responsibility to represent Blackpool to the best of their ability during the club’s boycott years.
The retired midfielder spent two-and-a-half years at Bloomfield Road, having joined the Seasiders from Oldham Athletic at the beginning of 2016.
Across his stint in Tangerine, the 34-year-old made 72 appearances in total, scoring 11 goals and providing three assists.
Philliskirk’s time with Blackpool coincided with a difficult period for the club under the former Oyston ownership - which ultimately forced supporters to stay away out of protest.
“It was difficult, but it’s still a massive club - I really enjoyed my time there,” he said.
“People had the best interests at heart for the football club, but we just stayed away from that. We weren’t in control of anything that surrounded that side of the game, so we had to block that out, and concentrate on what we could control - and that was the football on the pitch.
“If there were 20,000 there, 5,000 there or nobody there, it was still a game of football. We were paid to go and win football games and give everything we could to the club.
“In the first year we unfortunately went down, but in the second when Gary Bowyer came in, we went straight back up.
“We kind of fuelled it to our advantage and said there was nothing to lose. No one was expecting us to do well, so we used it as a little bit of motivation to prove people wrong. Having that inner belief in the dressing room got us there in the end.
“Looking at some of the players that were in that team, some have gone on to be really successful. It was a really good group. Gary unified us all and believed we could achieve something.
“Everyone’s going through that tough moment together. We wanted to give the fans that bit of hope that we could compete in the league and go up.
“Even though there were those tough times, we were there to represent the football club, play for each other, and play as a team.”
Missing out on Wembley opportunity with Blackpool
Blackpool’s promotion came via the League Two play-offs in 2017, as Bowyer’s side beat Exeter City 2-1 to return to the third tier despite the troubles surrounding the club.
Philliskirk wasn’t involved in the fixture that day, but was able to feature in a successful day at Wembley later in his career with AFC Fylde.
“It was difficult (missing out) but we had a group there that was one in, all in,” he added.
“Whoever was playing and whoever wasn’t - it didn’t really matter. I was always the type of person to be positive around other people, and I think that’s why I went on to play a lot of games in my career, because I became trustworthy to a lot of coaches.
“If there was a time I wasn’t playing, I’d just accept it, and get around whoever was in front of me.
“That game in particular was a bit gutting for me because I wanted to be involved. I’d played 20-odd games that season, so I still felt as if I’d played a big part.
“My goal after that was to play at Wembley, and luckily there were another two opportunities later in my career.
“It was a drive to do well after that. At Fylde, we did it back-to-back. We had the play-off final against Salford, which we lost, but then the week after it was the FA Trophy against Leyton Orient, which we won.
“I eventually got there in the end.”
Impact of now-Stockport County figure
The manager in charge of Fylde for their 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient in the 2019 FA Trophy final was Dave Challinor - who has since gone on to enjoy success in the EFL with Stockport County.
“Brilliant coach, he was very good,” Philliskirk stated earlier this year.
“The way he coached us and the way he had us set up, we were really strong. It was only a matter of time before he went onto bigger and better things.
“His record speaks for itself. I don’t know what league he started in with Fylde, but he got promotion after promotion. He then went to Hartlepool and got promoted. He then got a double promotion with Stockport.
“When you’ve got a record like that, you’re doing something right. I’m in no doubt that he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
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