Blackpool's monster opening month of away trips - and how far they'll travel
The fixtures for the 2025/26 League One season were released last week - with Blackpool facing a big opening month.
Blackpool will kick off their 2025/26 League One campaign in just over a month's time.
Last week’s fixture release revealed the Seasiders would start the season against Stevenage at Bloomfield Road on August 2.
It was also confirmed they would face Port Vale in the first round of the EFL Cup, while Barrow, Tranmere Rovers and Nottingham Forest U21s would be in their EFL Trophy group.
Blackpool will be looking to improve on their displays from recent times, with the club failing to reach the play-off in their first two attempts since being relegated from the Championship.
Following last season’s ninth place finish, there have already been some major changes at Bloomfield Road.
Several notable players have been allowed to depart at the end of their contracts, while four new faces have been added to the squad - with Fraser Horsfall, Michael Ihiekwe, George Honeyman and Niall Ennis all joining so far.
This summer is Steve Bruce’s first in charge on the Fylde Coast, after the 64-year-old was handed the head coach’s role back in September.
Tough start for Seasiders
The opening month is set to be tough for a number of reasons. Fixtures include home meetings with both Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers - who will both have their sights set on the top six this season.
There’s also a fixture with recently-relegated Plymouth Argyle - which forms part of several lengthy journeys.
While after the event it may be a relief to get some grueling days out of the way early on, in the moment it probably won’t feel that way.
Following the season-opener against Stevenage, Blackpool head to St James Park to face Exeter City on August 9.
The 556 mile round-trip was last done in January, and ended in a 3-2 victory for Bruce’s side. Meanwhile, prior to that, the Grecians had hosted the Seasiders in their second league game of the 2023/24 campaign - which ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
After returning to the Fylde Coast for their meeting with Huddersfield Town at Bloomfield Road on August 16, there’s back-to-back away games for Blackpool.
The first midweek trip to the season sees Bruce’s side travel to Mansfield Town - who claimed a 2-0 win in the same fixture last season.
On a Tuesday night, it’ll be a 274 mile round-journey to Field Mill, which is no easy ask.
With that in mind, that trip is in fact nothing compared to what the Seasiders face on August 23. A fortnight on from their meeting with Exeter, they will travel back down to Devon to take on Plymouth.
The journey to Home Park, and then back to Bloomfield Road, is 642 miles in total, which will no doubt make the home game against Bolton Wanderers the week after a relief.
Total mileage
There’s no hiding away from the fact it’s going to be a huge opening month for Blackpool.
The trips to Exeter, Mansfield and Plymouth leave them with a total of mileage of 1,472, which equates to a potential travelling time of 12 hours and 38 minutes without including stops.
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