Ian Holloway credited with changing Blackpool's mindset as boss discusses interest in Charlie Adam - 10 years on from Blackpool's promotion to the Premier League

Over the coming weeks, The Gazette’s football writer Matt Scrafton will be dipping into the archives to bring you our reports from a decade ago on Blackpool’s remarkable journey to the promised land.

On this day in 2010, Keith Southern was full of praise for manager Ian Holloway...

Keith Southern has credited Ian Holloway with changing the mindset of Blackpool FC and said: “We can make the play-offs.”

Southern has played under five managers since arriving at Bloomfield Road in 2002.

He has been virtually an ever-present under each boss, but says it is Holloway who has helped the Seasiders become a force to be reckoned with.

With Pool one place off the top six, Southern said: “It is ‘pinch me’ territory.

“But as the season goes on, and as the last couple of years have gone on, you realise that Blackpool are at home in this league.

“There is nothing to fear. We’ve got some very good players at this club and a spirit and a mentality – it is kind of us against the rest.

“We are taking that into each game at the moment and long may it continue.

“We’ve come a long way in a short space of time. The manager has brought us on leaps and bounds and a hell of a lot of the credit must go to him, the way he sets us up, the formation and the tactics we play. He has changed the mindset of the club.

“But what have we achieved? We haven’t achieved anything yet. We’ve achieved another year in the Championship, I suppose, but we don’t want to settle for that.

“We want to push on and finish as high as we can.”

The Seasiders have rejuvenated their play-off hopes by claiming seven points from the last nine and putting the pressure back on the teams above them.

Asked if the players truly thought they could make the top six, Southern replied: “You just don’t know in football.

“There’s a feeling, there’s that sense, there’s something in the air around the place that maybe we are capable of doing it. It’s feet firmly on the ground time though I think.

“We’ve been in touching distance of the play-offs for a few months and we’ve not been able to break the door down and get in there.

“We’ve been on the fringes, the seventh, eighth and ninth positions, but we have got a final opportunity now with six games to play to really impose ourselves and break into it.

“But there is no pressure on us. We’re safe. All the pressure is on the teams above us, so bring it on really.”

For all Southern’s talk of there being no pressure, there’s no doubt the club have to pick up at least three or four wins from the final half-dozen fixtures to haul themselves into contention.

That’s pressure isn’t it?

“Maybe, but I think the pressure comes from the dressing room, from the manager and the lads ourselves,” added Southern.

“There is no pressure from outside influences like the media or fans. Blackpool aren’t meant to be in this position, so we keep being told.

“We’ve played very well all season and I think, regardless of what happens, whether we make the play-offs or not, we want to finish the season on a high. We don’t want to let it go now.

“We might win six games and it might still not be enough. but whatever happens we want to finish strongly to send the supporters and ourselves away for the summer on a high.”

Elsewhere, Holloway admitted goalscoring midfielder Charlie Adam has many admirers “sniffing around” him.

But the boss says 15-goal Adam can continue to improve and he wants to help him do it.

“Charlie is a fantastic footballer and he is also a great lad,” said Holloway.

“He is improving all the time and that is all that ever matters. He’s not bad for £500,000 is he? That is a lot of money for us and I try not to waste a penny – in his case I definitely didn’t.

“There are clubs sniffing around him and he knows it. But I want to carry on working with him and help him continue to get better. That is my job.”

Asked if this was the best squad he’s worked with, the manager said: “I’ll tell you at the end of the season.”