# 2007–08 Blackpool F.C. season

The 2007–08 season was Blackpool F.C.'s 100th season (97th consecutive) in the Football League. It was their first season back in the second tier of English football in 29 years. They finished nineteenth, the club's highest-place finish in the Football League in 37 years.
Ben Burgess was the club's top scorer, with ten goals overall.
Blackpool set a new club record of twelve consecutive victories, carrying over from the end of the previous season, with 0–1 and 1–0 results over Leicester City and Huddersfield Town, respectively.
At the end of the season, manager Simon Grayson released eleven players, most of whom had not featured in the first team this season, and on 30 May he confirmed that he wanted to sign at least six new players. He went on to sign twelve (including three on loan) before the start of the 2008–09 season.

## First-team squad

| Squad No. | Name | Position(s) | Place of birth | Date of Birth | Apps | Goals | Signed from | Date signed | Fee |
| Goalkeepers |||||||||||
| 1 | Paul Rachubka | GK | San Luis Obispo | (1981-05-21)21 May 1981 (aged 26) | 11 | 0 | Huddersfield Town | 5 June 2007 | Free |
| 13 | Kyle Clancy | GK | Barking | (1989-11-16)16 November 1989 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | Blackpool F.C. Academy | July 2006 | Free |
| 21 | Rhys Evans | GK | Swindon | (1982-01-27)27 January 1982 (aged 25) | 39 | 0 | Swindon Town | 1 July 2006 | Free |
| 21 | Pāvels Šteinbors | GK | Riga | (1985-09-21)21 September 1985 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | FK Jūrmala | 1 January 2008 | Loan |
| 23 | Lewis Edge | GK | Morecambe | (1987-01-12)12 January 1987 (aged 20) | 6 | 0 | Blackpool F.C. Academy | November 2003 | Free |
| 36 | Paul Gerrard | GK | Heywood | (1973-01-22)22 January 1973 (aged 34) | 0 | 0 | Sheffield United | 24 January 2008 | Loan |
| 38 | Scott Flinders | GK | Rotherham | (1986-06-12)12 June 1986 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Crystal Palace | 27 March 2008 | Loan |
| Defenders |||||||||||
| 2 | Danny Coid | RB/LB/CM | Liverpool | (1981-10-03)3 October 1981 (aged 25) | 280 | 14 | Blackpool F.C. Academy | 1 August 1998 | Free |
| 3 | Stephen Crainey | LB | Glasgow | (1981-06-22)22 June 1981 (aged 25) | 0 | 0 | Leeds United | 9 July 2007 | Free |
| 5 | Michael Jackson | CB | Chester | (1973-12-04)4 December 1973 (aged 33) | 52 | 2 | Tranmere Rovers | 23 June 2006 | Free |
| 6 | Ian Evatt | CB | Coventry | (1981-11-19)19 November 1981 (aged 25) | 54 | 1 | Queens Park Rangers | 5 January 2007 | Free |
| 15 | John Hills | CB | St Annes | (1978-04-21)21 April 1978 (aged 29) | 192 | 20 | Sheffield Wednesday | 5 July 2007 | Free |
| 17 | Kaspars Gorkšs | CB | Riga | (1981-11-06)6 November 1981 (aged 25) | 13 | 0 | FK Ventspils | 1 January 2007 | Free |
| 18 | Paul Tierney | LB | Salford | (1982-09-15)15 September 1982 (aged 24) | 13 | 0 | Livingston | 2 June 2006 | Free |
| 19 | Phil Doughty | CB | Blackpool | (1986-09-06)6 September 1986 (aged 20) | 4 | 0 | Blackpool F.C. Academy | 1 December 2002 | Free |
| 24 | Matt Jackson | RB | Leeds | (1971-10-19)19 October 1971 (aged 35) | 0 | 0 | Watford | 1 October 2007 | Loan |
| 24 | Tony McMahon | RB | Bishop Auckland | (1986-03-24)24 March 1986 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Middlesbrough | 10 November 2007 | Loan |
| 25 | Shaun Barker | RB/CB | Trowell | (1982-09-19)19 September 1982 (aged 24) | 55 | 6 | Rotherham United | 2 August 2006 | Free |
| 31 | Joe Martin | LB/LM | Dagenham | (1988-11-29)29 November 1988 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 27 March 2008 | Loan |
| Midfielders |||||||||||
| 4 | Keith Southern | DM/CM | Gateshead | (1984-04-24)24 April 1984 (aged 23) | 204 | 22 | Everton | 8 November 2002 | Undisclosed |
| 8 | Adrian Forbes | RM | Greenford | (1979-01-23)23 January 1979 (aged 28) | 43 | 1 | Swansea City | 1 July 2006 | Free |
| 10 | Stuart Green | CM | Whitehaven | (1981-06-15)15 June 1981 (aged 25) | 0 | 0 | Crystal Palace | 31 January 2008 | Free |
| 11 | Wes Hoolahan | LM/RM | Dublin | (1983-08-10)10 August 1983 (aged 23) | 49 | 10 | Livingston | 10 August 2007 | £75,000 |
| 14 | David Fox | CM/DM | Leek | (1983-11-13)13 November 1983 (aged 23) | 52 | 5 | Manchester United | January 2006 | Free |
| 16 | Claus Jørgensen | CM/AM | Holstebro | (1979-04-27)27 April 1979 (aged 28) | 39 | 2 | Coventry City | 8 September 2006 | Free |
| 20 | Andy Welsh | LM | Manchester | (1983-11-24)24 November 1983 (aged 23) | 0 | 0 | Toronto FC | 31 August 2007 | Free |
| 22 | Marcus Bean | CM | Bournemouth | (1984-11-02)2 November 1984 (aged 22) | 27 | 1 | Queens Park Rangers | 24 January 2006 | Free |
| 26 | Simon Wiles | CM | Preston | (1985-04-22)22 April 1985 (aged 22) | 48 | 3 | Blackpool F.C. Academy | 14 October 2003 | Free |
| 28 | Michael Flynn | CM | Newport | (1980-10-17)17 October 1980 (aged 26) | 7 | 0 | Gillingham | 5 July 2007 | Free |
| 29 | Matty Kay | CM | Blackpool | (1989-10-12)12 October 1989 (aged 17) | 1 | 0 | Blackpool F.C. Academy | 13 November 2005 | Free |
| 30 | Matt Lawlor | CM | | (1988-08-20)20 August 1988 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | Blackpool F.C. Academy | 1 July 2007 | Free |
| 33 | Michael D'Agostino | RM | Vancouver | (1987-01-07)7 January 1987 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Free agency | September 2007 | Free |
| Forwards |||||||||||
| 7 | Keigan Parker | ST | Livingston | (1982-06-08)8 June 1982 (aged 24) | 140 | 41 | St Johnstone | 25 June 2004 | Free |
| 8 | Stephen McPhee | ST | Glasgow | (1981-06-05)5 June 1981 (aged 25) | 0 | 0 | Hull City | 7 January 2008 | £215,000 |
| 9 | Andy Morrell | ST | Doncaster | (1974-09-28)28 September 1974 (aged 32) | 48 | 20 | Coventry City | 15 August 2006 | Free |
| 10 | Scott Vernon | ST | Manchester | (1983-12-13)13 December 1983 (aged 23) | 68 | 19 | Oldham Athletic | 9 June 2005 | Part-exchange |
| 12 | Gary Taylor-Fletcher | ST/RW/LW | Widnes | (1981-06-04)4 June 1981 (aged 25) | 0 | 0 | Huddersfield Town | 9 July 2007 | Undisclosed |
| 24 | Grant Holt | ST | Carlisle | (1981-04-12)12 April 1981 (aged 26) | 0 | 0 | Nottingham Forest | 21 March 2008 | Loan |
| 27 | Ben Burgess | ST | Buxton | (1981-11-09)9 November 1981 (aged 25) | 32 | 5 | Hull City | 31 August 2006 | £100,000 |
| 32 | Phil Marsh | ST | St Helens | (1986-11-15)15 November 1986 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Manchester United | 5 September 2007 | Free |
| 34 | Bartosz Ślusarski | ST | Szamocin | (1981-12-11)11 December 1981 (aged 25) | 0 | 0 | West Bromwich Albion | 20 November 2007 | Loan |
| 35 | Danny Mitchley | ST | Liverpool | (1989-10-07)7 October 1989 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | Blackpool F.C. Academy | 4 March 2008 | Free |
| 37 | Paul Dickov | ST | Livingston | (1972-11-01)1 November 1972 (aged 34) | 0 | 0 | Manchester City | 31 January 2008 | Loan |
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Player had a previous loan spell at the club. Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first permanent spell at the club.
* ↑ Player had three previous spells at the club including one on loan. Date of signing refers to the player's fourth spell at the club.
Source:

## Season proper
### Football League Championship
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 17 | Norwich City | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 49 | 59 | −10 | 55 |
| 18 | Barnsley | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 52 | 65 | −13 | 55 |
| 19 | Blackpool | 46 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 59 | 64 | −5 | 54 |
| 20 | Southampton | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 56 | 72 | −16 | 54 |
| 21 | Coventry City | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 52 | 64 | −12 | 53 |

#### Results
##### In summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: Sky

##### By matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | W | D | L | W | D | D | D | D | L | D | D | L | L | L | W | L | L | W | D | W | L | L | W | D | W | W | L | D | L | W | D | D | L | W | W | D | D | L | D | D | D | L | L | W | L | D |
| Position | 7 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 19 |

##### In detail
### Football League Cup
## Squad statistics

| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | League Trophy | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Paul Rachubka | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | MF | Danny Coid | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Stephen Crainey | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Keith Southern | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Michael Jackson | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | Ian Evatt | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 7 | FW | Keigan Parker | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Adrian Forbes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | Stephen McPhee | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Andy Morrell | 28 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Stuart Green | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Scott Vernon | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Wes Hoolahan | 45 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | Gary Taylor-Fletcher | 42 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | Kyle Clancy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | David Fox | 28 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | John Hills | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Claus Jørgensen | 37 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Kaspars Gorkšs | 40 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| 18 | DF | Paul Tierney | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Phil Doughty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Andy Welsh | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | Rhys Evans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | Pāvels Šteinbors | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Marcus Bean | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | GK | Lewis Edge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | Grant Holt | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Matt Jackson | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Tony McMahon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | Shaun Barker | 46 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Simon Wiles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | Ben Burgess | 35 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Michael Flynn | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | Matty Kay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | Matt Lawlor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | Joe Martin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | Phil Marsh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | Michael D'Agostino | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | Bartosz Slusarski | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | GK | Paul Gerrard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | Paul Dickov | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 38 | GK | Scott Flinders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| — | FW | Danny Mitchley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | Discipline totals | 46 | 4 |
* Players used: 29
* Goals scored: 65

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 5 June 2007 | GK | Paul Rachubka | Free agency | — |
| 5 July 2007 | CM | Michael Flynn | Free agency | — |
| 5 July 2007 | LB | John Hills | Free agency | — |
| 9 July 2007 | LB | Stephen Crainey | Free agency | — |
| 9 July 2007 | RW | Gary Taylor-Fletcher | Huddersfield Town | Undisclosed |
| 10 August 2007 | LM | Wes Hoolahan | Livingston | £75,000 |
| 31 August 2007 | LM | Andy Welsh | Toronto | — |
| 5 September 2007 | CF | Phil Marsh | Free agency | — |
| 7 January 2008 | CF | Stephen McPhee | Hull City | £300,000 |
| 31 January 2008 | RW | Stuart Green | Crystal Palace | — |

### Loans in

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Until |
| 1 October 2007 | RB | Matt Jackson | Watford | 5 November 2007 |
| 10 November 2007 | RB | Tony McMahon | Middlesbrough | 10 December 2007 |
| 20 November 2007 | CF | Bartosz Ślusarski | West Bromwich Albion | 1 January 2008 |
| 24 January 2008 | GK | Paul Gerrard | Sheffield United | 31 May 2008 |
| 20 March 2008 | CF | Grant Holt | Nottingham Forest | 31 May 2008 |
| 27 March 2008 | GK | Scott Flinders | Crystal Palace | 31 May 2008 |
| 27 March 2008 | LB | Joe Martin | Tottenham Hotspur | 31 May 2008 |
| 31 January 2008 | CF | Paul Dickov | Manchester City | 31 May 2008 |
| 31 January 2008 | GK | Pāvels Šteinbors | FK Jūrmala | 31 May 2008 |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 31 May 2007 | CM | Ciaran Donnelly | Free agency | — |
| 31 May 2007 | CB | Marc Joseph | Free agency | — |
| 31 May 2007 | CM | Sean Paterson | Free agency | — |
| 3 January 2008 | CF | Adrian Forbes | Millwall | — |
| 22 January 2008 | GK | Rhys Evans | Millwall | — |
| 31 January 2008 | CF | Scott Vernon | Colchester United | — |

### Loans out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Until |
| 17 July 2007 | LB | Paul Tierney | Stockport County | 17 January 2008 |
| 17 July 2007 | RM | Simon Wiles | Macclesfield Town | 1 January 2008 |
| 9 August 2007 | CDM | Marcus Bean | Rotherham United | 31 October 2007 |
| 5 October 2007 | GK | Rhys Evans | Bradford City | 30 October 2007 |
| 7 November 2007 | CB | Phil Doughty | Macclesfield Town | 17 January 2008 |
| 22 November 2007 | RB | Michael D'Agostino | Cheltenham Town | 1 January 2008 |
| 1 January 2008 | CB | Phil Doughty | Accrington Stanley | 21 February 2008 |
| 7 January 2008 | CM | Matt Lawlor | Farsley Celtic | 7 February 2008 |
| 25 January 2008 | GK | Lewis Edge | Northwich Victoria | 25 February 2008 |