10 Years of Yorkshire Seasiders!

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Yorkshire Seasiders, we are looking at holding a celebration meal. 

Partners, family and friends of Yorkshire Seasiders are all welcome to attend, but we need your numbers now.

Dress code - smart casual with a touch of Tangerine.

Time and place to be confirmed, depending on numbers, but it will be in Leeds within easy walking distance of trains and buses.

Cost - £20 per person.

Contact Wilf ASAP on 07906 851952 or  wilfbrooks@blueyonder.co.uk.

Pool Panel - Last Home Game - Derby (h) Win 2-1

Finally, we got the win that secures Championship status for another season.  It’s been a long struggle with the turmoil behind the scenes affecting performances, allied to an atrocious surface at home stopping us from playing the free flowing football that has served us so well over the past few seasons.

Despite numerous chances, we again stretched the nerves to breaking point through scoring the winner in injury time, but to be honest, it was nothing more than we deserved, with the woodwork hit on a couple of occasions and defenders also clearing off the line.  After an early goal for once from the hardworking GTF, it looked like we’d cement the win with a penalty award, but Ince’s firmly struck shot came back off the foot of the post.  That gave Derby a foothold in the game although while they had a deal of possession, Gilks was largely a spectator while Derby’s keeper made a number of saves.

We can play much better, but the objective was to remain in the Division and Ince senior now has the summer to get the squad he wants and instil the playing style that suits that group of players.

Before then, there is the small matter of a Lancashire derby game with Bolton Wanderers to look forward to.  I trust the players are aware of the importance of this to the fans and aren’t already mentally on their holidays.  In the week of the anniversary of our greatest triumph against the same opponents, this game means a great deal.

STARMAN: Gary Taylor-Fletcher

Pool Panel - Forest (h) Draw 0-0 & Brighton (a) Lost 1-6!

After the win last Saturday, the team haven’t quite reached the same standard, as a consequence have only picked up a single point.  While we had the better of the possession against Sheffield Wednesday, hey had the clearer chances and ultimately we were grateful to Matt Gilks for fine saves both early on and also in injury time at the end.

The fans were there in numbers for the long trip to the South Coast in decent sunny conditions.  However, right from the off the team weren’t on the pace, while Brighton were lively, dangerous and pacy.  We never coped with them all day long and the first goal summed us up.  Their player picked up possession just into our half, but we backed off right to the edge of the area before allowing a curling shot into the far corner with no challenge at any stage.

That set the tone for the afternoon, and for the first time in a number of seasons the team were unable to rise to the occasion and put in any kind of performance.  I don’t believe that they think the season is over so didn’t put in the effort;  it was more of a case of things just not happening and meeting an opposition at the peak of their game.  We did it to other teams early on this season, so sometimes these things happen.

Next week’s last home game is an opportunity to put things right and mathematically finish off the season once and for all.  We can and hopefully will, bounce back.

STARMEN: Matt Gilks (Sheffield ) Ludo Sylvestre (Brighton)

Pool Panel - Burnley at home

Despite picking up four valuable points on the road we were still in the relegation mix, but Saturday’s win against Burnley finally makes the table more pleasant reading.  In all truth, the margin of victory deserved to be greater than the one vital goal we scored, with Blackpool starting brightly and playing some decent football to carve open some good chances, only for the likes of Delfounseo and Ince to mishit when close in.  Phillps continued his recent return to form but hit three or four shots over the bar.  Nil-nil at half time was somewhat disquieting as we had nothing to show for dominating the game, while Burnley had come close in their intermittent forays forward.

The second half continued in the same vein, but we managed to break the deadlock with a magnificent strike from Ludo Sylvestre.  Over the last few weeks he’s come in from the periphery to be a key figure in the midfield, linking play well and now adding goals to his repertoire.  As a consequence, the team has looked more balanced, with the defensive solidity brought in by Ince with the pairing of Mackenzie and Broadfoot now providing a base for a more dangerous look to us going forward.

It’s been a while but we finally have a defensive pairing who relish a physical challenge and also provide a threat from set pieces.

I’d like to think that we have more or less assured safety now and consideration needs to be given to signing up the bulk of this season’s team for a serious challenge next term.

STARMAN:  Ludo Sylvestre

Player of the Year Awards

This year's Player of the Season presentation evening has been combined with a dinner to mark the 60th Anniversary of winning the FA Cup.  It's being held on the evening of the last day of the season, straight after the game at the Reebok, that being 2nd May, the anniversary of the win, ironically against Bolton. 

Tickets are £60 which gets you a four course dinner, and an evening which promises to be a great one, reminiscing about the FA Cup triumph and also celebrating the current squad.

We're booking a table, so if you're interested, please let Phil know.

If you would like to vote in the Yorkshire Seasiders Player of the Season awards, please get in touch as detailed below:

Pool Panel - The Last Week - Palace (h) Win 1-0 & Forest (a) Draw 1-1

Monday was a huge game for Blackpool, with the return of Holloway adding to the atmosphere.  The early sending off of Barry Ferguson added to the mountain we had to climb, but we defended magnificently and always looked dangerous on the break.  That paid off with a lovely strike from Matt Phillips who played himself back into form with a battling performance.  I thought Delfouneso was magnificent leading the line, tackling back and working so hard to ensure we got something from the game.

We followed up that huge win with another battling point at Forest.  Once again, we defended well, scored first with a great strike from Sylvestre and then suffered another harsh sending off.  The linesman was clearly signalling for a push on Osbourne but the referee took it upon himself to show a red card.

As a consequence we again had to defend for a substantial period, looking to catch the opposition on the break.  We also lost Mackenzie through injury and that proved too great a hurdle to cross, with Basham conceding a penalty late on.

However, four points with ten men against two teams in the playoff positions is a good return at this stage of the season, underlining the quality in the team and gives us a foundation to see us through to safety over the next two home games.

Paul Ince takes a lot of credit, making the right tactical changes along with the players who put themselves on the line.  I’m much more upbeat about finishing the season strongly.

STARMEN: Delfuenseo (Palace); Baptiste (Forest)