Congratulations to Blackpool! What an achievement, starting the season as one of the favourites to be relegated from the Championship and ending it by winning promotion to Tangerine Dream Land.
Of course, Blackpool in the top division brings back unhappy memories for West Ham fans. Back on the second of January 1971, West Ham led by Bobby Moore and featuring Jimmy Greaves, Clyde Best, Frank Lampard Senior and Billy Bonds, contrived to lose a Third round F.A. Cup tie 4-0 at bottom of the table Blackpool. The defeat was bad enough, but then it came out that Moore had been out on the booze with 3 team mates the night before the game. The Daily Mail led the press in exposing what, in those days, was a major scandal, and Moore was suspended by the club. It was a sea change moment in his relationship with Greenwood and Moore's eventual exit from the club was sealed as a result. Unlike Bobby Charlton at Old Trafford, Moore would never become an elder statesman and footballing ambassador for the club. Sadly, in 1975, Bobby was wearing a Fulham shirt when we won the F.A. Cup.
The West Ham team in full that miserable day in Blackpool read: Ferguson, Bonds, Lampard, Eustace, Taylor, Moore, Ayris, Lindsay, Best, Howe and Dear. Older fans will have no problems remembering any of that lot, with the possible exception of Lindsay and Howe, two "squad" players who never really cut it as First Division players. Howe made 73 starts for the club spread over six seasons before moving to Bournemouth, whilst Lindsay managed just 42 starts over 3 seasons before being shipped out to Watford. Wonder where they are now?
70-71 was a miserable season, much like 2009-10. We narrowly avoided relegation, finishing third from bottom on 34 points. But in those days, of course, you only got 2 points for a win so that points total is massive compared with Zola's team. We did, however, play 42 games! Our home record was miserable - no fortress Upton Park that season because we only won six at home - but we did chalk up 4 away wins. By coincidence, Burnley went down that season too!
How things have changed since then! The 22 top division clubs included Huddersfield, Crystal Palace, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Blackpool, Ipswich, Coventry, Derby and Southampton. Man Utd finished 8th and Wolves 4th!
Poor Blackpool now face an impossible task. I would like to wish them well but, until our squad is revamped, we have to find three teams to finish below us - and Blackpool must be a banker bet! They finished bottom in 1971 on 23 points and I would be amazed if they equal that total this time around, even with 3 points for a win!
Enjoy the dream guys, but don't expect it to last!
Congrats to Blackpool. Six points for Spurs next season...Only kidding, we lost six points to Wolves this season! Refreshing to see you up there with the big boys again and you deserve it. Hope you take plenty of big scalps...just not Tottenham's. Sir Stan would be proud of you!
ReplyDeleteCOYS Wembleyspurs.
With the current squad we have and the impending arrival of Grant and other sub standard players I believe Blackpool with there fighting team spirit will suprise a few people and finish above WH
ReplyDeleteare you joking. please tell me your joking. blackpool to finish above west ham. thats like saying tottenham will finish above arsenal.
ReplyDeleteTottenham will finish above Arsenal next season. Blackpool will finish bottom of the pile.
ReplyDeletehammersfan you aint got a clue about football. when was the last time tottenham finished above arsenal. and your a prick by the way.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, things change. When was the last time Tottenham finished above Liverpool before last season? Arsenal are sliding, Tottenham are rising.
ReplyDeleteHF is a prick
ReplyDeleteh,f knows what going to happen
ReplyDeletespurs players wages 3 lowest in
the prem and look were we are
that's right girls cl/lg you green eyed scumbags
kev
Personally, I would rather have seen Cardiff promoted! Thought they chucked it away trying to play long balls?! Chopra had no chance with those centre backs in the air, but he was unlucky hitting the bar!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, Blackpool will surrender 6 points to us without much fuss next season, before they disappear again dangling from their £48million parachute!?
Seeing as your being statto today HF, here's our head-to-head with them in all comps:-
P 49 W 20 D 12 L 17 F 74 A 77
Very good Shaun. Those stats will include, of course, Blackpool's glory, glory years. Buy a commemorative Premiership stick of rock in Blackpool over the summer and it will have one word written all the way through it, relegation.
ReplyDeleteMr Holloway is being lauded from pillar to post now, and his interviews have been 'controlled' in the aftermath of victory, but fast-forward 4 or 5 months or so, add a few good batterings and a few dodgy refereeing decisions, and his post-match interviews and press conferences will be a joy to behold!
ReplyDeleteSaying that...here's a little sample of what we can expect from our own 'Manager-in-waiting'... Mr Avraham Granat!
Chelski had just beaten Everton in April 2008 to stay in close touch with Man Utd...here's what he had to say (sorry it's long, but it's worth reading!!)....
Q. A deserved win Avram?
Grant: ‘Yes.’
Q. What particularly pleased you about the performance?
AG. ‘I’m pleased.’
Q. What in particular pleased you?
AG. [After an eight second delay]: ‘I don’t know.’
Q. Is it a relief to win here?
AG. ‘Yes.’
Q. You seem lost for words by the performance. Are you more satisfied with the performance or the victory?
AG. ‘Both.’
Q. You seem distracted. Do you have a problem?
AG. ‘No problem.’
Q. Is there an issue?
AG. ‘No. I’m ok. I have nothing to say.’
Q. Do you have a message for the Chelsea fans?
AG. ‘You represent the Chelsea fans?’
Q. They must believe you are still in the title race, do you have a message for them?
AG. ‘No message.’
Q. Does this result mean you are back in it now?
AG. ‘I don’t know.’
Q. How many steps have you climbed to undertake this press conference?
AG. ‘I don’t know.’
Q. You seem less voluble than usual. Is it because of Sky TV moving the game to a Thursday?
AG. ‘Maybe it’s because of you. I don’t know. I am ok.’
Q. You are saying that you don’t know if you are still in the title race?
AG. ‘No.’
Q. Is it easier to say nothing Avram?
AG. ‘I don’t know what to answer. It is a good question. I don’t know what to answer.’
Q. Is this because of Sky?
AG. ‘No. Sky is ok. I enjoy watching them.’
Q. Is it a protest against newspapers?
AG. ‘No. Why?’
Q. Why else would you come in and refuse to answer our questions?
AG. ‘I answer every question.’
Q. You are two points behind Manchester United and you don’t know if you are still in the title race?
AG. ‘No.’
Q. Have you told the players that you don’t know if you are back in the title race?
AG. ‘What I tell the players is something else. You want me to tell you what I say to the players?’
Q. We just want you to answer the question really. Are you in the title race?
AG. ‘I don’t know.’
Q. Would you not like to gain some positive publicity for the result rather than this bizarre silence?
AG. ‘I’m sorry. You can write whatever you want and I can answer what I want.’
Q. Do you feel under pressure to deliver a trophy. Is that the reason for the monosyllabic answers?
AG. ‘No.’
Q. Are you upset? Do you feel you have been misrepresented?
AG. ‘Maybe I have said because it is a bad season.’
Q. Did Michael Essien faint?
AG. ‘He had some problems, but he is ok.’
Q. Michael Ballack?
AG. ‘Injured.’
Q. What’s his problem?
AG. ‘Ask the doctor.’
Q. He’s not here Avram.
AG. ‘Well call him then.’
Q. Have you ever played the yes/no game Avram?
......[silence]
Grant then got up and walked out!
That was a brilliant performance Shaun! Sullivan won't be able to sack him for saying that will he? Let's face it, I'd rather that than Zola telling us how we were in control of the game until the opposition scored - how jolly unfair of them - and how, after a 4-1 thumping, the players didn't deserve that because they are "trying hard" and because things "look good on the training pitch".
ReplyDeleteNah, it's not for me mate! Aside from their contractual responsibilty to talk to the media, the Prem Managers, and ours in particular whoever he may be, should display a bit more charisma and enthusiasm when talking to the press!
ReplyDeleteThey should cut out all the clichés and the pointless 'Managerisms' and come across as more believable to the fans!
Take Mourinho's post-match interview last night as an example! That guy shouldn't be on his way to Real Madrid...he should be on his way to Hollywood!!
Yeah it's fun but so what? It's not what Jose said, it's what his team did on the pitch that counts! No Italian players in the team. That says a lot about Jose and what has happened to football. Just like Jose's Chelsea, they are not only nothing to do with the city they are supposed to represent, they don't even represent the country! Disgraceful!
ReplyDeleteHang on....didn't Zidane's best mate, Mad Marco Matterazzi come on as a sub right at the end? He's definitely Italian! That's made everything alright then!
ReplyDeleteYeah but he never touched the ball and never managed to provoke anybody into a head butt assault. So what purpose did he serve, apart from wasting time?
ReplyDeletehow about helping win the game by being part of the team. West Ham wouldn't know about recent success i suppose
ReplyDeleteI agree, no Italian players was a disgrace. José knows that Italian football is dead, and so do the rest of us. Tottenham wont finish above Arsenal, and to be fair the media can be very annoying i'm sure. As the person writes in the same article you have pasted, it is refreshing to not hear the whole, the players should be pleased with their performance we are happy with the win blah blah blah.
ReplyDeleteit is refreshing to not hear the whole?!?! sorry Shaun you've lost me?
ReplyDeleteYou have posted my painting without my permission. I don't mind you doing so as long as you credit my work, otherwise, please remove it. Thanks,
ReplyDeleteVeronica Jackson
www.d-fineart.net
You have posted my painting without my permission. I don't mind you doing so but I requiere that you credit my work or remove it. Thanks,
ReplyDeleteVeronica Jackson
www.d-fineart.net
Manyu apologies Veronica. It came up on Google Images search so is clearly available for downloading. What sort of acreditation do you require? I can delete but it fitsd the article so well and if it gets you any hits then that is fine by me.
ReplyDelete