Sunday afternoon saw Blackpool bounce back to League One at the first time of asking with victory over Exeter City at Wembley Stadium.
Meeting Paul Tisdale’s side in the final showpiece of the League Two Play Offs, Blackpool took the two one victory with goals from Brad Potts and Mark Cullen and manager Gary Bowyer was obviously delighted with how our campaign had gone with promotion secured.
Speaking to the Official Site in his post game press conference, a clearly happy gaffer spoke about the experience of winning his first promotion as a manager and overachieving when his main aim this year was to stabilise the side.
‘Incredible. To be stood here in this amazing stadium, it really is an amazing achievement to have turned it round in less than a year. We said from day one that we weren’t going to come up with any excuses, we were going to work very, very hard and wanted the players to be the best that they could be every single day in training. That’s what they’ve done and we’ve managed to carry that out on the pitch, so I’m delighted.’
Having achieved his stability but then turning that into promotion with life back in League One to look forward to next season, Bowyer went on to say.
‘Stability was the main aim but then in the last month or so we got a sniff of it and fair play to the players, they took that opportunity.’
As for the game itself against Exeter.
‘It was an incredible start from us, terrific. But then we knew what a good team Exeter are, they put us on the back foot and we knew that would happen, and then we lost our captain, Tom Aldred. That meant we’d lost two captains in a week. The adversity that these players have had to put up with all season, it was another challenge for them and they stepped up to the plate. We had to change the formation, we needed half-time and we did a lot of re-organising. They came out and played the way they did and full credit to them.’
Adding.
‘All three goals were good goals in the game and I’m delighted for Mark Cullen, the form that he’s had at this end of the season and run-in.’
It was also Blackpool’s record fifth Play Off victory.
‘We were aware of the history that the club has got in the play-offs and we wanted to add to it. I’m delighted to say that we have.’
