It started in 1978…I was aged 7.
I was taken to Bloomfield Road for the home game against Carlisle United and sat in the main stand with my now, late father. The then Northern Irish international Derek Spence scored at hat-trick. I was by then already a blue …and admittedly, aged 7, naive and impressed by Blackpool’s performance, I was swayed. “Come and support Blackpool” and “They wear the same kit as the Dutch” amongst other tantalising lines.
Being a hard working fisherman plying the Irish Sea, after I was steadfast in my support of City he made the promise that the first time City would play Blackpool, he would take me along. I missed the league cup ties in around ‘79 or ’80 (which ended up 4-2 from memory) due to good fishing. But in late 1983, I get home from school and we have drawn the Tango’s in the FA Cup.
What can I remember? Puking up on the ‘plane…having a meeting with fisherman who’d popped down from Fleetwood, oh and some goal scorer called Steve Hetzke (I think I have the spelling right without the benefit of wiki) scoring.
There was loads of trouble and Alex Williams had the usual banana’s, oranges, and the rest of Ian Beale’s barrow tossed over the barrier in a hostile 1980’s show of bigotry that maybe Gordon Brown might have been …well, we’d best not go there!
City lost 2-1, and I remember our support being escorted along the prom (watching from my hotel room) maybe some of our seasoned campaigners such as Gillie, John 68 and DH may remember the game?? I can remember going shopping that morning with my mum, and shops closing at 11am because City had arrived!!
Our last game was late September 1993. Bryan Griffiths scoring in a 1-0 win over Cardiff City and around 800 disgruntled Welsh folk.
Despite the win, it was a harrowing time. My father had cancer for around 18 months, and was in the process of "enjoying" his final days. In under a week, he had passed, but he had been to his Mecca, home of Armfield, Matthews, Mortensen, Farm, Perry, Ball, Hughes, Walsh, Hatton, Paul Stewart and Dave Bamber
My love of the game was kindled by my father, and like all of us I’m sure, playing in the school yard.
My love of Blackpool?...Well tonight I’m wearing a Tango’s scarf which my father received the last time he enrolled in their supporters club. I still have the replica Matthews shirt bought when we visited Blackpool.
I would possibly compare them as an old girlfriend. You are still friendly with them, but don’t know if you would have been happy if you’d married!!!
Tonight, and until the final whistle at Wembley, I hope Blackpool do their job and get promoted. I will wear my Shirt and a Tango’s scarf at the Townley if so, and maybe in COMS I can "get away with it" in 110 (Just in recognition of my old man)!
My love of City however will never die, but thanks Dad, and I hope the Tango's do you proud and play my boys in the big flight at last.
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