Football Special Report: Predictions for Blackpool and Newcastle
It was Burnley last season, and this year marks the return of another great old power to the riches of Premier League in the shape of ‘Tangerines’ a.k.a Blackpool. Blackpool’ story has been one from a Hollywood flick. The team started in the Championship last season as the relegation favourites but won promotion to the Premier League by beating Cardiff City at Wembley and became the first side in 6 years that finished 6th in the championship playoff.
The story this season is no different. The Tangerines had not even left the Wembley turf and the critics had written them off from the Premier League. There could not have been a bigger killjoy for the side that defied all odds to find themselves in the Premier League and they do not have a care in the world. The defied all beliefs and logics last season and believe they can do the same again.
No one is giving them a chance but in Ian Holloway they have a manger who is capable of turning things around and after being given some money to spend in the market, Holloway will look to prove to the Premier League that he is not only famous for his witty one liners.
Blackpool is a small town in the north western region of England and the region certainly needs a lift that the Premier League will provide it.
The atmosphere at the 12500 capacity Bloomfield Stadium will be electric when the ground hosts its first ever Premier League game.
Blackpool are tipped to perform even worse than Derby in 09, when the team could only muster a disgraceful 11 points from 38 Premier League games. Although they are desperate not to live up to those expectations but they certainly do not have the resources to keep themselves afloat in the Premier League.
However, Burnley did it last year with just little better resources, so why can’t they.
The 2010-11 season marks the return of another big gun to top flight football and that is Chris Houghton’s Newcastle United. It’s a great achievement for Houghton to guide them back into the Premier League and that too via automatic qualification after just one season in the Championship but this season no one is expecting them to do anything big in the league.
For the toons even survival in the Premier League will be a big achievement, the team and the manager know this.
Toon army always expects great deeds from their team, despite the club’s staggering lack of success in recent history but this year they should be happy if their team survives.
Houghton did not have a big transfer kitty this summer but he still secured Dan Gosling from Everton on a free transfer, while the addition of Sol Campbell from Arsenal will also add value to his side’s defence.
The signing of Campbell has been criticised in some circles but that is not understandable, as Sol put up some great performances last season while playing for the Gunners and showed plenty of his old form, so much so that more often than not, he was Arsenal’s man of the match.
Sol will surely add some much needed experience to the Toons, while Andy Carroll will also be keen to test himself against Premier League teams. Kevin Nolan also has a point to prove as he looks to become a lethal striking force in the highest tier of English Football.
Newcastle have the firepower and the nerves of steel to not suffer the same fate as last season and will try to stay up this time in the Premier League by hook or by crook.
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