Matches don't come much bigger says Stephen Crainey: Ten years on from 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.

On this date 10 years ago, Blackpool played the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final against Nottingham Forest. Here’s what we were reporting on the morning of the game ...

Stephen Crainey says this season has been “ beyond my wildest dreams” and the Blackpool defender hopes it continues for two more games after today’s play-off opener against Nottingham Forest.

Today’s lunchtime clash at Bloomfield Road is a 12,500 sellout, in which Pool will be aiming to take a lead into the second leg at the City Ground on Tuesday.

The winners of the two-legged tie head to Wembley on Saturday May 22 for the Championship play-off final against Cardiff City or Leicester City.

For Crainey, games like these are the reason he loves being a footballer. He had a taste of Premier League life at Southampton in 2004, but in the last three season he has been an integral part of a Blackpool set-up which has grafted hard to establish itself as a Championship force.

And now they are three games from promotion to the Premier League, Crainey admits he is as excited as anyone. “You don’t get much bigger games in your career than these,” said the left-back.

“You want to be involved in them and we can’t wait. This season is right up with the best in my career. It has been unbelievable.

“It has been beyond everybody’s wildest dreams what we’ve done so far. Getting to the play-offs is one thing, but now we are here we don’t want it to end and hopefully Tuesday’s second leg won’t be the last match.

“I have had a taste of it at Southampton (where he played five Premier League games) and I’d love to get back into the top flight.

“Every pitch is like a bowling green. The whole set-up is unbelievable and hopefully all the boys here will get a taste of it too.”

Crainey played in both Pool’s victories over Forest this season but he knows that Championship double counts for little.

“It is a completely new game and hopefully we can score a few goals, but one more than them will do over the two legs,” he added.

“It’s often about momentum in the play-offs and we’ve got that

“We’ve been playing very well in recent weeks and hopefully we can carry that right through to the final.”

Crainey has taken on a Billy Davies side in the play-offs before – he was part of the Leeds United team which beat Davies’ Preston North End four seasons ago.

“Hopefully I can get the better of him again but it isn’t going to be easy,” warned Crainey.

“They will be very con dent after a good season and I think it is going to be very tight over the two legs. I’ve played in a few big games in my career but not many bigger or better than this.

“The fans will be feeling the same. They have been great all season, and hopefully they can keep that going and be the extra man we will need.”

Brett Ormerod helped Nottingham Forest to promotion two years ago. It’s rather ironic that he goes into this clash in red-hot form and the man most likely to dump his old team-mates out of the race for the Premier League.

But like everyone else in tangerine the striker is taking nothing for granted.

Ormerod said: “ The fact we’ve done the double over them makes no difference at all.

“I remember playing for Blackpool in the 2000/01 season, when we got beat by Hartlepool twice in the regular season and then battered them both games in the play-offs. It is a clean slate now and we just have to give it our best.

“The atmosphere last weekend (for the draw with Bristol City) was probably the best I have ever seen at Bloomfield Road, even from my first spell.

“To have three sides full and bouncing with supporters was terrific to see. I’m sure the backing will be just as good for this game and that can only help.”