Cardiff City shootout success means DJ Campbell can look forward to Wembley final - tenth anniversary of Blackpool's rise to the Premier League

We’re dipping into the archives each day to bring you STEVE CANAVAN’S Gazette reports from a decade ago on Blackpool’s remarkable journey to the promised land.

Ten years ago, penalties elsewhere proved good news for Ian Holloway’s striking options...

DJ Campbell will trot out at Wembley and attempt to fire the Seasiders to the Premier League.

The striker was glued to the TV last night to see who would win the play-off semi-final second leg between Cardiff and Leicester.

Victory for the Foxes and Campbell, on loan from the Walkers Stadium, wouldn’t have been able to feature in the final.

But a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat for a Leicester side, including Pool old boy Richie Wellens, leaves Campbell free to take part in one of the biggest games in the Seasiders’ history.

Ian Holloway might be forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief too.

His managerial career took a turn for the worse during a brief stint with the Foxes two years ago, and Nigel Pearson’s men had done the double over Pool this season.

The Seasiders’ record with Cardiff is all square – 1-1 draws home and away.

Cardiff finished fifth in the table, three points ahead of sixth-placed Pool.

And now Campbell has learned he’s free to play, he is fired up and can’t wait for a showdown worth £90m to the winner.

The frontman smashed a hat-trick in Blackpool’s stunning 4-3 triumph at Nottingham Forest and will be intent on adding to his tally of 10 goals in 16 starts since joining in February.

Campbell still has 12 months of his contract left at Leicester.

He is due to return there after the play-off final, so he can’t really talk about his employers.

But there is no doubt he is delighted to be at Bloomfield Road.

“We tried to do the deal right from the summer because I knew from last year that they wanted me,” said the 28-year-old.

“Blackpool proved they wanted me here and that’s what every player wants – you want to be wanted.

“I was so glad to come back and hopefully I am repaying the faith that Steve Thompson and the gaffer have had in me.

“The fans are great to me, they were great to me last year and they are great to me now.

“I’m humbled to be able to do what I’m doing for them.

“I’ve always had the confidence in myself to score goals and it’s coming good now.

“So many things are falling into place and I can’t speak more highly about what’s going on at the moment.

“No one would have ever thought we’d be about to go to Wembley, playing to play in the Premier League, but we keep proving people wrong.”

Kick-off at Wembley on Saturday, May 22 has been confirmed as 3pm.

Pool will wear their change strip of white shirts and tangerine shorts after losing the toss at a meeting at the national stadium prior to the semi-final games.

The Tangerine fans will occupy the south end of Wembley, the opposite end to where supporters sat during the 2007 final.