'A real shame' - Ex-Blackpool captain shares feeling of missing out during boycott as he reflects on Wembley experience

Former Blackpool captain Andy Taylor admits it was tough being unable to share success with the fans during his time on the Fylde Coast.

The 40-year-old, who is now an assistant coach at Barrow, was at Bloomfield Road during the boycott years, as supporters protested against the then-Oyston ownership.

Despite the issues behind-the-scenes, Gary Bowyer was able to guide the Seasiders to promotion in 2017.

Even though Taylor is proud of the achievement, he states it was disappointing that the moment couldn’t be fully shared with the fans, but understood why they couldn’t be in attendance.

While the retired defender will mainly be remembered for his stint in Tangerine between 2016 and 2018, his first taste of life on the Fylde Coast was a short loan stint from Blackburn Rovers in 2006.

“Simon Grayson was the manager, and Tony Parkes was the assistant,” he said.

“I was 19-years-old and it was one of my first experiences of real football. I’d been on loan to QPR before that, and then Blackpool was my second one. I loved it, I absolutely loved it.

“There were some good players in the team, some good characters - your Peter Clarke’s, your John Murphy’s, your Keith Southern’s.

“I was only there for a short time, but I really loved it. I enjoyed my football there, and I enjoyed working with Simon and Tony.

“I nearly went back on loan; I wanted to go back, but for whatever reason it didn’t happen.

“It worked out, it went full circle at the back end of my career and I rejoined later on.”

Taylor’s previous experiences of Bloomfield Road as both a home player and a visitor made his return during the boycott feel all the stranger.

“It was different,” he admitted.

“I got a phone call in the summer from Gary Bowyer, who was my old youth team manager at Blackburn. He sort of sold it to me as a really good chance of getting promoted. At that stage of my career, I hadn’t been promoted, so it really appealed to me.

“I had fond memories of the club anyway from 10 years previously, so I knew about it and the area. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense, and was something I desperately wanted to do.

“Coming into it, it was strange. There was the fans boycott going on at the time, which as players we got and understood, but at the same time it was tough because you were playing in front of tiny crowds in a big stadium. You could really feel it.

“I’d played there against and for, and it’s a really good atmosphere when it’s rocking, so I was gutted that I missed out on that.

“Even when we went to Wembley. Blackpool go there, and there’s 40,000 going strong, but when we went there were about 5,000.

“Again, we understood, but it was a little bit gutting as a player because you want to play in front of your own fans and celebrate with them when you win. It was an interesting time, to sum it up.

“It was just a real shame because we ended up having a successful season and we won the play-offs, but we weren't able to share that.

“A lot of credit goes to the staff, who had to deal with it, but made sure it stayed away from the players so we could focus on what we needed to focus on.”

While Taylor became Blackpool’s club captain during the 2016/17 promotion season, he missed the 2-1 victory over Exeter City in the play-off final due to injury.

“At the time it was horrible because I was so desperate to play,” he stated.

“I got injured in the last 20 minutes of the second leg at Luton. I was desperate to play. I was telling the manager I was fit, but deep down I knew I couldn’t.

“Two days before the game, I trained and gave it a go, but I felt it straightaway and had to pull out, which was gutting for me personally.

“On the day, it was the most nervous I’ve ever been at any game because you’re on the sidelines and you can’t do anything to help the team - you’re powerless.

“When the final whistle went, it was brilliant, and you join in all of the celebrations, but it was a really tough 90 minutes.”