Brett Ormerod column: Blackpool's players will relish playing in front of fans again

Any sort of step back to normality is good in my eyes, but for Blackpool to get picked as one of the test events is really good news.

It’s a big game for Blackpool, so hopefully the return of fans – albeit only 1,000 of them – will help them get a result. It should certainly be a good occasion anyway.

Having the fans back should make a huge difference to the players, it’s certainly a start.

It will be good for the players, they won’t want to play in front of empty stadiums every week, but it’ll also be extremely good for the fans after being away for so long.

Of course, you’ll have to be lucky to get a ticket as the club has 4,000 season ticket holders but nevertheless, it’s an encouraging move and a step in the right direction. It’s a bit of good news for a change.

Going back to last week, it was disappointing to see Blackpool get off to a losing start at Plymouth Argyle.

By the sound of it though, they were utterly dominant – especially in the first half – and created a lot of chances.

The same happened against Barrow and Stoke City, two games that I watched, which suggests they need to start taking those opportunities.

To go behind after just three minutes will have been frustrating for Neil Critchley, but after that they were all over Plymouth.

It’s disappointing and you do need to stick these chances away when you’re on top, but it’s still encouraging that they’re creating all these chances.

With the players they’ve got, there will come a time when those chances start going in, so they just have to remain positive and remain patient.

Every side wants to get off to a good start and get that first win under their belts, but it’s not the end of the world and there’s a long, long way to go.

Plymouth are a good side as well, they did well getting promoted from League Two last season. They’re a strong team, so it was never going to be easy.

For Blackpool to be as dominant as they were and create all those chances is still hugely encouraging despite the scoreline.

From what I’ve seen, they’ve been denied by some good goalkeeping but they’ve also snatched at a few chances. But with the quality they’ve got in that squad they’ve got more than enough time to put it right.

It’s another newly-promoted side up next this weekend in Swindon which will be another tough game, but that will be the case for every league game this season.

Blackpool will be seen as a bit of a target this season because they’ve spent a bit of money and made a lot of signings.

Teams might face Blackpool by putting men behind the ball to try not to get beaten, which will make life difficult for them.

That’s the joys of football though, you’ve just got to get on with it and overcome these challenges.

Swindon will still be full of confidence from last season when they won the title, so it will be a difficult game.

In other news, I was heartbroken to read the news about Macclesfield Town being wound up in the High Court over unpaid debts of around £500,000.

I would say it’s unbelievable, but you only have to look back at Bury last year to realise it’s becoming a more and more common thing now.

It’s absolutely tragic though. I’ve played at Moss Rose many times and while it’s never been a massive club, they’ve always competed and fought above their weight so to speak.

They often got relegated and would come back a season or two later.

It’s just the tip of the iceberg though, isn’t it? I just hope there aren’t any more clubs that go but in these uncertain times we live in, who knows?

What’s happening at the moment is absolutely horrendous. A figure like £500,000 sounds like a lot but in Premier League terms, it’s nothing.

The money at the top is as big as ever but at the bottom, clubs are scratching around to stay afloat.

The money isn’t making its way down the divisions and if it carries on that way, it’s only a matter of time until more clubs go.