History, it matters for nothing on Saturday, but might be interesting now!
The Bluebirds – we didn’t like playing them much last year, did we? Twice the teams played in the league, and the aggregate score reads Cardiff 4 Blackpool 1! But how do the teams fare in times gone by?
A solitary wonder strike from big Steve Thompson was enough to secure all three points for Cardiff at Bloomfield Road.
Simon Grayson’s men travelled to Ninian Park in the end of season run in, and came back home easily beaten 3-1 with former seasider Trevor Sinclair scoring.
However, The Seasiders hold the edge over Saturday’s opponents historically. In 60 games throughout the years (the earliest match taking place in 1920) Pool have won 31, 16 have been drawn, and Cardiff have been victors on 13 occasions – including the game in 1920, which they won 4-2.
The teams have played eachother in every single division, mainly in the old money equivalent to The Championship. But recently it has been the keenly contested lower league fixtures which have caught the eye.
In 2000, both clubs suffered relegation to League 2, which does go to show the fantastic strides we’ve made since then. Of course, in 2001, Cardiff and Pool were promoted. And it is in that year where we`ll take a trip down memory lane to remember the game at Bloomfield Road in the following season?
Blackpool v Cardiff City; 15th December 2001 (League 1)
Line ups:
Blackpool: Barnes, Parkinson, Hughes, Marshall, Jaszczun, Bullock, Collins, MacKenzie, Simpson, Murphy, Payton
Cardiff: Alexander, Gabbidon, Prior, Young, Gordon, Kavanagh, Bowen, Boland, Bonner, Gordon, Earnshaw
On loan Andy Payton played his first game for Blackpool in front of 4880 fans, with Cardiff packing many stars of the future. Six of City’s team went onto appear in the Premiership.
Mark Bonner went back to his old club, and the Pool must have fielded the oldest back four in the history of league football, with Parkinson, Hughes and Marshall all being well over 30!
The game finished 1-1. John Hills scored after 66 minutes for the home side before Dean Gordon (remember him? He played ONE game for us in 2007, against Huddersfield!) equalised just two minutes later.
To watch highlights of the 3-1 defeat last season, here they are!
you should win because you are better then cardiff