Why Blackpool fans understand Derby County's plight better than anyone

It will serve as something of a farewell party for the 4,000 Rams, given their relegation to League One has already been confirmed.

Thye’ve had to endure a nightmare campaign, one that has been plagued by off-the-field strife from the get-go. Blackpool fans can certainly empathise with that.

I’d imagine the two sets of supporters will come together in their own unique way in an uplifting show of solidarity, just as they did at Pride Park earlier in the season. The EFL will inevitably get the brunt of it.

While other fanbases may look to mock Derby and their plight, as far as I’m aware Blackpool are one of few, if any, to lend their support, whether that be vocally at a game or behind the scenes through the respective Supporter Trust’s.

That’s because Blackpool fans know better than anyone what it feels like to be so hopeless and without power, victims to the behaviour of one man - who claims to be a supporter - which threatens the very future of their club.

Some might not like it, some may feel it’s too lovey-dovey, but these are issues that go beyond football fandom and petty tribalism.

I’m sure there will still be chants about Derby’s relegation or barbs aimed at their manager Wayne Rooney, that’s all part and parcel of the game.

But deep down there’s a respect and a mutual understanding between the two sets of supporters. Blackpool fans know the pain and anguish of not knowing where to turn next all too well.

While Derby appear to be - touch wood - coming to the end of their administration battle, with Chris Kirchner’s takeover edging ever closer, Blackpool are fortunately able to look in the distance at their horror years under the Oystons.

Yet we got a timely reminder this week of what the Seasiders have moved on from, as laid out in The Gazette’s back page on Thursday.

For those that haven’t read it, former owner Owen Oyston has been embroiled in yet another court battle and, unsurprisingly, another court defeat.

The 88-year-old had brazenly attempted to sue the receivers that sold Blackpool in 2019, claiming they under-valued the club and its related assets to the tune of £78m.

Oyston essentially argued that Paul Cooper and his team ought to have put the football club into liquidation and sell Bloomfield Road for redevelopment, rather than sell it in one piece.

Forget the delusional claims about the football club being valued at £59.7m, this is the real story.

Surely there’s no-one out there that still believes Owen was a genuine supporter from the age of two? If there are, I’m not sure what more evidence you need to prove the contrary.

In many ways, the story is a timely reminder of how far the Seasiders have come in a relatively short period of time.

We’re not even three years on from Simon Sadler’s takeover yet here Blackpool are, on the cusp of finishing in the top half of the Championship; fans, players, staff and the club hierarchy all aligned and singing from the same hymn sheet.

It’s a far cry from the turbulent days under the previous ownership.

Yet you don’t have to look far to see similar instances happening at other clubs, most notably Oldham Athletic whose relegation to non-league was recently confirmed.

That’s why independent regulation is required now more than ever, because these rogue owners simply musn’t be allowed to do as they wish with our beloved community assets.

Yes, in a perfect world the EFL or the FA would get their houses in order and govern the English game themselves - as they’re supposed to do. But they’ve had long enough to do exactly that and have failed time and time again. That’s why the government’s intervention is so important.

These proposals need to be put into law as soon as possible - 2024, a date recently suggested, simply isn’t soon enough.

By then a number of other clubs might have gone the same way as Oldham, or Bury, or Macclesfield. Or suffered the same hardship as Blackpool and Derby.

Blackpool fans knew years ago this wasn’t a lone fight, this was a campaign for the good of English football. It’s simply too important to get wrong.

As for the actual football, the very thing supporters wish they could concentrate solely on, this game presents another good chance to claim three points.

Tuesday night’s win against an admittedly hopeless Barnsley side has put Neil Critchley’s side on the cusp of the top half of the table.

Facing two already-relegated sides in their final two games of the season, you’d like to think a top-12 finish is now within their sights.

Either way, whether Blackpool finish 12th, 14th or 16th, it doesn’t matter a great deal in the grand scheme of things. But finishing an excellent first season back in the Championship on another high would certainly be most welcome.

Given everything that’s been thrown at them, Rooney’s Derby have performed as well as realistically envisaged and, were it not for the 21 points being deducted, would be safe in mid-table, eight points behind the Seasiders.

They’ve already shown Blackpool once this season they’re not a bad side at all, but let’s hope that’s not the case at Bloomfield Road tomorrow.