Blackpool’s play-off fate is in their own hands after a dramatic afternoon: Ten years on from Blackpool’s promotion to the Premier League

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be dipping into the archives to bring you STEVE CANAVAN’S Gazette reports from a decade ago on Blackpool’s remarkable journey to the promised land.

Ten years ago, the Seasiders knew a play-off place was in their own hands after a 1-0 win at Peterborough United late on in the season...

It’s sometimes hard to sum up an afternoon in a few paragraphs.

But not this time. In fact, I can do it in a couple of words: chuffin’ fantastic.

The score at London Road, Swansea’s defeat, the magnificent travelling support, the leap into the play-off places with 90 minutes of the season to go.

What on earth is going on? Is this the same Blackpool FC which was thumped 7-0 at Barnet not so long ago, which lost 2-0 in the pouring rain at Chesterfield on New Year’s Day, which has been beaten in countless other matches at various horrible, grotty destinations over the last few years?

Why, hang on a minute. Turns out it is.

As crazy as it may sound, the Seasiders are 90 minutes away from getting into the play-offs for the Premier League.

Utter that statement a few years ago and you’d be stuck in a straitjacket and rushed to Broadmoor.

That is where I thought the Blackpool fan who accosted me outside Bloomfield Road a couple of weeks back should be sent.

He told me he’d had a dream and in it the Seasiders beat Nottingham Forest, won 1-0 at Peterborough and Brett Ormerod scored an 84th minute winner in the play-off final at Wembley to fire Pool to the Premier League.

I edged away, assuming I was talking to the local nutter who’d forgotten to take his medicine.

But blow me, not anymore. In fact, I’m half-tempted to nip down to Ladbrokes and get a few quid on.

For those who have watched the club for years it really is hard to comprehend.

What seemed an impossible dream over the last 30 years of pretty much utter misery and disappointment is suddenly within reach.

The Seasiders really are back among football’s more well-to-do folk, instead of hanging around behind the bikesheds, smoking fags with the rough lads like Rotherham and Bournemouth.

Of course, it could all end in tears yet, with the small matter of seeing off Bristol City on Sunday to come.

But it can’t really end in tears can it, whatever the result at the weekend.

Ian Holloway has transformed the club in the space of nine glorious, giddy months, and even if Pool do slip up in the final game, the season will still have been a terrific success.

That said, now the club is so close it would be criminal to miss out.

Ninety poxy minutes are all that stand between them and shocking the football world.

But it won’t be easy. Bristol City are bound to be fired up, with Steve Coppell in charge.

And then there’s the Holloway link.

He’s a Bristol Rovers man through and through and the Robins would take great delight in stuffing things up for him.

One thing’s certain, those of a nervous disposition should not attend Bloomfield Road for it could be the nailbiter to end all nailbiters.

Mind you, the last few minutes of Saturday’s encounter at Peterborough weren’t far off.

After spurning chance after chance, the Seasiders found themselves having to hang on at London Road.

They knew Swansea were losing (that much was obvious from the delirious reaction from the 2,000 fantastic Tangerine supporters packed into the ground), and with the tension growing and Peterborough pushing forward, nerves became frayed.

It didn’t help matters to be reminded that Blackpool had never done the double over Peterborough.

Then a lone magpie swooped in front of me. No!

A sure-fire sign that Posh were about to score and wreck the party.

Thankfully, my negativity didn’t affect on the players.

They held firm, sparking terrific celebrations at the end as the fans stayed behind for fully 20 minutes, continuously chanting the manager’s name until Holloway emerged onto the pitch to wave and perform a trademark jig.

The gaffer was a little reluctant to do that.

Managers are a superstitious bunch and he feels (quite rightly) that there’s no point celebrating prematurely.

He knows things could still go wrong. But the fans who had turned out in such vast numbers deserved to be acknowledged, for so many Blackpool supporters to make a sevenhour round trip to watch their team is a superb effort.

Mind you, given how little they have had to cheer over the past few decades, it’s no wonder the fans are making the most of the current purple patch.

The last time a Seasiders team was promoted to the top flight was 1970.

Could it be that exactly 40 years later Pool will return to the promised land of odd kick-off times, overpriced tickets and players wearing tights? Let’s hope so.

Here the only mystery was how they didn’t win by more.

The same side which despatched Nottingham Forest so impressively found themselves in front with 11 minutes on the clock.

Charlie Adam started the move as he so often does, surging forward from midfield and freeing Brett Ormerod on the left.

Stephen Crainey launched a deep cross into the box, then Gary Taylor-Fletcher headed the ball back towards DJ Campbell.

The frontman fired a brilliant overhead kick goalward, keeper James McKeown saved well, but Campbell reacted quickest to nod the ball home.

It had to be Campbell, didn’t it? Just 48 hours after being whisked away from the training ground by the police, the frontman responded in the best possible way.

It was his eighth goal since rejoining Pool in February and his sixth in his last five games.

The lad is on fire, and will hopefully remain in that mood whatever happens away from the football pitch.

Ian Evatt thought he’d made it 2-0 with a header from David Vaughan’s corner, but McKeown, in inspired form as he deputised for the injured Joe Lewis, saved superbly.

Taylor-Fletcher took the ball too wide when clean through. He eventually found Campbell but McKeown saved again.

The keeper did the same in the second half when Campbell raced clear, then went on to thwart Ormerod and Stephen Dobbie. No wonder he was voted Posh’s man of the match.

All the spurned chances caused Holloway to hold his head in his hands. Pool almost paid the price when Nathan Koranteng lashed the ball goalward at the back post after a scramble in the penalty area.

Holloway’s heart missed a beat, but the shot missed too ... by a whisker.

The fourth official forgot about the time added on board but word got round that it was four minutes.

It felt like 10. But the Seasiders held firm, and with Swansea’s defeat confirmed, the celebrations began.

When the jubilation died down, the sobering realisation dawned that there is still much to do.

Pool have timed their run into the top six to perfection and are the most in-form club in the Championship.

But that could all count for nothing if they make a hash of it against Bristol City.

One game to go. It’s going to be a heck of an afternoon.