Seasiders reach promised land

IAN HOLLOWAY was hailed as a managerial genius by his players after leading Blackpool to the Barclays Premier League after a dramatic 3-2 Coca-Cola Championship play-off final win over Cardiff on Saturday.

When the charismatic Bristol man arrived at Bloomfield Road last summer, the unfashionable Seasiders were being tipped for relegation to League One, a fate that Holloway suffered as Leicester boss in 2008.

Yet a year out of the game has re-energised the 47-year-old and Blackpool reaped the benefits in remarkable fashion at Wembley as they secured a lucrative promotion to the top flight.

A deserved victory over the Bluebirds ensured Holloway’s men will rub shoulders with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United next season and are guaranteed a bumper pay-day of around £90 million (€103.5m).

Charlie Adam, who captained the Seasiders to victory and scored his 19th goal of the season at Wembley, said: “The manager has instilled a lot of pride in us and given us so much belief.

“That has got to be our biggest strength next season.

“We’re not kidding ourselves. We know it’s going to be tough and there are a lot of world-class players in the Premier League.

“I’ve been to watch Manchester United and Chelsea and I know how good they are, but I’m sure the manager will prepare us for the challenge.

“Everyone laughs and jokes about Blackpool but this club is a very proud place to be right now.”

The energy and desire that has come to characterise Holloway’s team was evident again as they twice hit back to equalise before forging ahead in an absorbing opening 45 minutes. Adam, a £500,000 (€575,000) signing from Rangers last summer, drew Blackpool level with a superb free-kick after Michael Chopra opened the scoring.

Although Joe Ledley restored Cardiff’s lead, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Brett Ormerod struck shortly before half-time to give Holloway’s men an advantage they did not surrender.

Blackpool, whose average home crowd of 8,611 was the second-lowest in the Championship this season, will be the smallest club in the top flight since the formation of the Premier League and will be among the favourites to be relegated.

Yet Holloway is expected to be handed funds to sign new players and striker Ben Burgess, a former Republic of Ireland U21 international, says his manager should not be underestimated.

“Every team that goes up finds it hard but we’ve got a manager who is very clever,” said Burgess.

“Everyone thinks he’s just a madman and he can be at times, but I’m sure he’ll know what to do in the Premier League.

“The Premier League has not seen anything like him but I’m sure they’ll enjoy it.

“I think he’s used that year out of football very well and he’s proved a lot of people wrong.

“We’re not massively different to last season in terms of personnel but the 4-3-3 formation he’s played is the right way and he’s brought in the right players.

“We’ve got so much faith in him and you’ve got to have after what he has achieved this season.

“We were second favourites to go down at the start of this season but just look at us now.’’

Ormerod could scarcely digest the magnitude of the club’s achievement.

The 33-year-old, in his second spell at Bloomfield Road, scored the most important goal of his career.

He said: “If you start thinking about the money involved you lose focus on what you’re doing.

“The manager kept us focused on the game itself. He has come in this season and changed the whole mindset of the club in general, not just the players.

“He said mere survival in the Championship was not what he wanted – he wanted us to kick on strive for more than that.

“To get to the Premier League with Blackpool is a dream come true.”

Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd couldn’t hide his despair at Saturday’s result but admitted the Bluebirds had lost to a better side.

“Blackpool were the better team on the day and deserved their win,” said Bothroyd.

“How big is the disappointment? Massive because we’ve fallen at the last hurdle.

“We’re gutted and heartbroken. For the majority of the season we played really well but we didn’t turn up.

“You have to give credit to Blackpool. They showed the hunger and they stuck in there and they won the game, so well done to Ian Holloway and their boys.”

BLACKPOOL: Gilks, Coleman, Baptiste, Evatt, Crainey, Vaughan (Bannan 90), Southern, Adam, Campbell, Taylor-Fletcher (Burgess 53), Ormerod (Dobbie 60).

CARDIFF: Marshall, McNaughton (Gerrard 74), Blake, Hudson, Kennedy, Burke (McCormack 58), Ledley, McPhail, Whittingham, Chopra, Bothroyd (Etuhu 15).

Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands).