Blackpool to ruffle more Feathers?

Blackpool were favourites for relegation last year before they somehow managed to get promotion from the Championship. They were then immediately installed as everyone’s pick to go straight back down from the Premiership before claiming a series of high-profile scalps while staying constantly outside of the drop zone. Now they have suffered an inevitable lapse of form and everybody is ready to write them off again. This could be the perfect time for a value bet on the perennial underdogs.

Ian Holloway’s boys are 8/1 with Victor Chandler to finish the season in the top half of the table. Admittedly it might seem unlikely, but the odds seem long for a side still perched 13th in the table, only two points behind Newcastle in 10th position. The Bloomfield Road outfit still have a game in hand on several sides above them and eight of their remaining 14 games will be at home.

The style that Holloway has his team playing in makes victories always a distinct possibility. Yes, they lose a lot as well, but only four draws in 24 matches shows what attacking intent can do. In a tight league the habit of winning while your rivals grind out draws can quickly move you up the table.

DJ Campbell has been a revelation with his scoring contribution but the whole side has chipped in to the total of 35 league goals which surpasses the number scored by Spurs, Liverpool and most of the Premiership in fact; only the top four and Newcastle have done better. Further good news this week was that star man Charlie Adam stayed put so perhaps it’s time to stop under-estimating Blackpool.