Blackpool Blog

On the pitch
After Tuesday`s debacle at home to QPR (the visitors running out easy 3-0 victors) Pool travelled to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace and against all the odds returned to the Fylde coast with three points.
Paul Rachubka was sent off for a professional foul after only three minutes meaning Matt Gilks got the chance to make his league debut. The only goal of the game came just before half time as Roy O’Donovan was brought down in the penalty area. DJ Campbell stepped up to score his thrid goal in four for Pool. The visitors deservedly kept Palace at bay to win 1-0. The victory moves Pool onto 37 points, seven above the bottom three.

Ressies held
The reserves drew 1-1 with Mike Sheron`s Bury at Bloomfield Road on Wednesday. Jermaine Wright got a useful run out as he bids to play himself back into the first team after a long injury lay-off.

Transfers in and out of Bloomers
Another busy week on the transfer front saw Blackpool bring in three new players and let four depart. In came Krisztian Nemeth on loan from Liverpool. The striker`s debut didn`t go according to plan though as he fractured his cheekbone in the QPR defeat meaning his spell at the seaside could be over before it`s really begun.
Paul Marshall arrived on loan from Manchester City, and made his debut in the midfield yesterday only to be sacrificed just minutes into the match after Rachubka’s red card.

But the big news of the week concerned the return of Brett Ormerod to Bloomfield Road. Brett has signed until the end of the season, re-joining the club he left more than seven years ago when he signed for then Premier League Southampton for £1.75 million. If his second spell is half as good as his first with the Seasiders, he`ll do a great job for Tony Parkes. Welcome home Brett!

Heading out of Bloomfield Road are Marlon Broomes and Daniel Nardiello. Broomes has yet to start a match for Pool since his move last summer and he has joined League One strugglers Crewe on loan. Meanwhile Nardiello has moved to Hartlepool on loan until May after struggling to get match fit all season.
Perhaps surprising were the departures of youngsters Dominic Merella and Ross Lloyd from the club this week. Merella in particular impressed during pre-season and even made his first team debut just a few weeks ago in the FA Cup against Torquay.

Injury concerns
On the injury front Stephen Crainey`s bad luck continues. After coming off the bench on Tuesday he soon picked up another injury, this time to the hip, leaving Pool to play with 10 men for the final 20 minutes of the match. Rob Edwards also missed yesterday’s win at Selhurst Park and he will face a battle to get fit for next week’s crucial home game against Doncaster.

Derby game re-arranged
Blackpool`s match at Derby has been re-arranged for Tuesday 17 March with a 7.45pm kick off. The game was originally scheduled to take place this Tuesday but the Rams still have FA Cup commitments with a trip to rivals Nottingham Forest in a replay. Pool will now face three away matches in a row with games at Sheffield United and Barnsley preceding the trip to Pride Park.

Best thread on the forum
While there have been many postings about the return of Brett Ormerod, sadly some of which were critical of Brett which I thought to be pretty unfair, I found myself agreeing with many who wrote at their disgust at the treatment of the two youngsters BFC let go this week – Merella and Lloyd. The former in particular looked a decent prospect and it`s a shame that yet another young Pool player has been ditched without ever really having an extended opportunity to impress.

Well done to Tony, Thommo and the boys for the fantastic win yesterday. Special praise for our new goal hero DJ, the increasingly impressive GTF and the returning Alex Baptiste and Danny Coid. Matt Gilks also deserves a mention for keeping a clean sheet on his league debut for Blackpool. If he keeps up that form Paul Rachubka may find himself out of the team for some time.

With just hours remaining before Monday’s 5pm transfer deadline we wait in anticipation of one or two more additions to this injuiry ravaged squad.