Blackpool vs Cardiff City Championship Final 2010 ( Retro Post )

As I move my old site over to my new site, how could I leave behind one of the greatest footballing achievements that ever took place..!

Hope that some still like my old football stuff and I might if popular rewrite some of the Premier league games..

We made our way to Wembley the night before and stopped in a Travellodge hotel in London.
The next morning we made our way to Wembley to watch Blackpool play in the most lucritive of games in the World..
It had been quoted that anything from £56 to £96 Million pounds was at stake, but the winners would go down in history..

After traveling across London in our car decked out in White & Tangerine, all we could hear was beeps from cars, and waves from people in stationary traffic wishing us well, for little old Blackpool this was an amazing dream that wasnt going to end..
In Blackpool we were aware of friends and relatives getting ready for the big day, my good friend Dave drove down from Dunfirmline with his friend, to be in Blackpool for the game.. I was planning to meet up with him after the game in Blackpool..

As we approached Wembley we could see the now famous arch that dominates the sky line, its my first time to Wembley in its new guise, but I prefer the old twin towers I last went with my late Father to watch Blackpool beat Scunthorpe, he would of loved to be at this game but sadly he died only a few months before.. I dedicate this report to his memory..

A trip to Wembley can not be complete without a trip to the Green Man pub, we arrived quite early but as you can see there were quite a few Blackpool fans in attendance allready, basking in the lovely May Sun..

Bradley..

It was so hot at this time, we made our way towards the stadium for a picnic, under a tree..

We made our way into the stadium..

I think we were a bit early, but what did concern us was the Sun, it was starting to move around the stadium..
We just knew at some stage we would be baking in the very hot sun, we forgot our sun cream and feared that we would bake..

Starting to fill..

Just before the game starts, we are baking in the Sun, it was 40 something degrees and we tried to keep cool by soaking our scarfs in water and to drink as much as possible..

Caught the lad staring at something..:)

One thing that really annoyed me was, the Welsh First Minister objected to the British National anthem being played at this show piece game, that was being played in England, the FA said ok, so for the first time it was NOT played..

Game on..

Blackpool losing 1 – 0 to a Chopra Cardiff goal after 9 minutes..

But 4 minutes later Blackpool had a freekick, 25 yards from goal as Charlie Adam placed the ball, I had a good feeling about it..for me the greatest goal that I have ever seen..!!

At 37 minutes Whittingham scored for Cardiff to make it 2-1..
But again Blackpool came back after 41 minutes, Gary Taylor -Fletcher..
2 – 2.. Seen from the Cardiff end..
And what turned out to be the winning goal in added time of the first half..
Brett Ormerod.. 3 – 2 Blackpool…
The 2nd half came and went and Blackpool were able to hang on and create history, after nearly 40 years away they had made it to the top flight of English Football..

Here are some more images at the final whistle..Lots of people couldn’t believe that Blackpool had just pulled it off..!

Lots of emotion from everybody and lots of sunburn, but nobody cared we had just won the richest game in history and had been Promoted to the Premier League..!

Ian Holloway was interviewed after the game..

Outside the stadium we met some Cardiff fans..

We now faced a long journey back home, we were so jubilant that I missed the M1 turn off..

I ended up crossing the Derbyshire peak district and those huge drops in the dark..
Anyway we had arranged to meet up with Dave to celebrate at Bloomfield Rd Blackpool, we arrived back home at around midnight, and didnt go to bed until Sunday night..