Blackpool? Never Heard Of ‘Em!

Wait 'til the EPL gets a load of this guy — Holloway is one of the game's real characters.

Welcome to the EPL, Blackpool. You’re a team who recently played their football in a stadium with 3 stands, a team who have been bad for the better part of 50 years, and a team from a seaside town up north where the names of amusement park rides are more well known than those of the players.

All joking aside, Blackpool making the Premier League is a fantastic reminder of what can be achieved without Roman’s millions, large bank debt or selling the name of your stadium to a foreign company. Kudos to Ian Holloway and his battlers as they enter the Premier League and show every football fan in the world that dreams can come true for people who don’t ride the bandwagon or support a team that’s highly successful.

So, what do YOU know about Blackpool?

I’m guessing ‘f*ck all’, so follow on after the jump for a look at the Tangerines and what can be expected by the rest of the EPL when August rolls around and a trip to Bloomfield Road to play the Seasiders is required.

Home Base:
Blackpool’s home, Bloomfield Rd is currently under development and houses just 12,555 people sat in 3 stands. When finished, just 16,000 will be able to watch Holloway’s men. I say three stands as the East side currently houses a temporary stand just a few rows deep. New plans have been approved but building is not yet underway.

A Potted History:
Blackpool won the FA Cup in 1953 in a game known as the “Matthews” final after Sir Stanley Matthews led his team to a 4-3 victory from being 3-1 down with 22 minutes left. The Tangerines beat Bolton, and the game is still, to this day, the only FA Cup final to feature a hat-trick. Adding to the lore, Stanley Matthews is the only footballer to have been knighted by the Queen while still an active player. Matthews is one of the greatest English players of all time, playing over 700 games; he still holds the record of being the oldest player to play in the top-flight and for England at 50 years old. He retired in 1970 at the age of 55.

The Town:
Blackpool has a total population of 140,000 people; Yet they clearly don’t like football, the Seasiders’ average attendance last season was just 11,684, good enough for 20th in the Championship. Wigan can sigh with relief, as they won’t have the worst attendance in the EPL next season.

Let There Be Light:
In 1879, Blackpool was the first place in England to have electric, wired street lights.

The 'Big One' in Blackpool is far more popular than Charlie Adam.

Business or Pleasure?
With a 215 meter peak, the Pepsi Big One roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the tallest rollercoaster in the UK. The ride cost £12 million to build and before it was given a certificate to run, approval was required from the local airport, which required beacons to be fitted to the ride. Premier League fans will certainly flock to ride the Big One in droves, except for West Ham fans, who usually spend the entire season on a roller coaster ride.

Fun For Everyone!
Blackpool is known as the ‘gay capital’ of the north, hosting its first gay pride parade in 2006.

Tower Tales:
518 feet tall, the famous Blackpool Tower can be seen from as far away as Liverpool. The tower was based on the Eiffel Tower and built in 1894. There are 563 steps from the roof to the top of the tower, and painting this giant takes seven years! At night the tower is illuminated by over 10,000 light bulbs.

Tangerine Dream:
The Tangerine kits Blackpool wear came about in 1923 after a recommendation from referee Albert Hargreaves, who was impressed with the Dutch national teams orange look after working a Holland match against Belgium.

Glory Days:
Blackpool’s highest ever top-flight finish was 2nd, achieved in 1956.

Omereod returned and fired Blackpool to glory.

Adam’s The Apple of Blackpool:
Current midfielder and goal machine Charlie Adams is the team’s all-time most expensive signing, costing the Seasiders £500,000 from Rangers in 2009. The most Blackpool have ever received for a player was £1.75m for Brett Ormerod who left Blackpool for Southampton in 2001. He returned in 2009 and just last weekend scored the winning goal at Wembley that sent Blackpool to the Premier League.

Growing up, Blackpool was known as a cheap holiday resort, great for amusements, silly hats, rock and nights out watching has-been comedians bomb before late-night fish and chips and a walk on the beach. It’s a place known for a good time amongst garish lights and cheesy entertainment.

Now that they’re in the Premier League, the folks of Blackpool can certainly be taken seriously–at least for one year.