Why Ian Evatt was relieved Blackpool were spared penalties at Nottingham Forest: 10 years since promotion 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, Ian Evatt was expressing his relief at being spared a penalty shoot-out in the play-off semi-finals...

Ian Evatt revealed it’s a good job Blackpool’s play-off clash with Nottingham Forest didn’t go to penalties as they made a right mess of them in training the day of the game!

Ian Holloway made the squad practise penalty kicks in case their Championship play-off semi-final went to a shoot-out.

Thankfully that was avoided by the Seasiders’ terrific display in the second leg, winning 4-3 at the City Ground and emerging 6-4 aggregate winners.

And according to Evatt, it’s just as well he and his team-mates did win in normal time.

“We did practise penalties on the day of the game ... and we didn’t do very well. Most of us missed!” said the centre-half.

“But thankfully we didn’t need them and all the lads are absolutely delighted, not just with getting to the final but also with the style in which we did it.

“This team really is something else. To go to Nottingham Forest, score four goals and beat the team which has finished third four times over the season is incredible.

“The likes of myself and Keith Southern have been talking about the last time we got to Wembley (in the League One play-offs three years earlier) but this is such a far better achievement and a far greater experience.

“This team is far superior to 2007. But the way we are playing and the confidence that we have at the moment does feel very similar to the run we had in 2007.

“We hit form just at the right time and we went into the play-off games with real momentum. I think that’s what the play-offs are all about.

“Maybe if you’ve been sat in the play-off positions for a while, sometimes there is a tendency psychologically to take your foot off the pedal.

“But we’ve been full at it for a few weeks and we have sneaked in. It is where you finish up after the 46 games, not where you are halfway through the season.

“I think we fully deserved to make the play-offs and now we’ve got to make sure we keep it going for one more game at Wembley.”

Southern, another survivor of that 2007 play-off winning side, says Lancashire rivals Burnley have been a big inspiration as the Seasiders aim to emulate their rise to the Premier League.

The Clarets shocked the footballing world to win promotion to the top flight via the play-offs last season, after finishing fifth in the Championship.

The dream may have turned sour this season but there won’t be many Burnley fans who haven’t enjoyed the experience of mixing it with the big boys.

And Southern wants Pool to follow in their footsteps. He said: “What they did was definitely inspirational for a club like ours.

“I think there are parallels and a lot of the fans have been telling me that there are definitely similarities between Burnley’s season last year and ours this year.

“Hopefully we can do it now and I have to admit that getting to the play-off final again is a dream come true.

“I always thought I’d go back to Wembley one day but perhaps not this year.

“We have been on an absolutely fantastic run this season and there is no stopping us now.”