A new era and a win for Blackpool! by Jon Pearcy:
And so the time has now come that Blackpool fans have been awaiting. On Saturday Blackpool started their new era under the new ownership of lifelong fan Simon Sadler.
Over the last few years, many Blackpool fans will have spent the home games sat at home in front of the television watching Sky Sports news, or even out shopping for the Saturday afternoon. But this year they will be back at Bloomfield Road catching up with old friends and watching the team that they love!
It’s fair to say that this season has been one of if not the most exciting pre-season in the past 10 years.
Players have not just been loaned like most seasons, they had been signed, and placed on contracts of 2-3 years. Even the disappearance of the word triallist from the pre-season games was an eye opener. A couple of seasons ago there could be mostly a full team of them in pre-season.
As excitement built throughout last week, it’s clear what had been missing from most people in the town over the past 4 years. Everyone was back together! The club working with the town and the town working back with the club.
This has been shown with the sponsorship deals that have been happening, including shirt sponsor ‘Visit Blackpool’ family stand sponsor ‘Merlin Entertainments’ as well as other local businesses offering their sponsorship, services and support.
The first team to face Blackpool in the new era was Bristol Rovers! A crowd of just over 11,300 packed into Bloomfield Road to watch an exciting Blackpool team take all three points.
A goal in either half (a penalty from spearing and a header from Gnanduillet) was enough to put the points in the bag, and more importantly to set off the belief in the Blackpool stands and dressing rooms that this could possibly be the year to our all the troubles of the last few years behind them.
All I can say is welcome back Pool fans and roll on the trip to Southend at the weekend!
UTMP!
