page_title: 2010–11 Blackpool F.C. season
section_title: Season proper
hierarchical_section_title: 2010–11 Blackpool F.C. season / Season summary / Season proper
caption_attribution_description: English: Blackpool F.C.'s positions in the Premier League after each round of the 2010-11 season.
context_page_description: The 2010–11 season was Blackpool F.C.'s debut season in the Premier League, after winning the 2009–10 Championship play-off Final in what was their 99th consecutive season in the Football League. It was also their 28th overall season in English football's top tier, but their first since 1971. It was Ian Holloway's second season as manager. The club finished 19th and were relegated back to the Championship.
context_section_description: Following an opening-day 4–0 win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium on 14 August, a result that briefly put them top of the entire English football pyramid for the first time since the opening day of the 1957–58 season, Blackpool earned the League Managers Association's "Performance of the Week Award".
  Seven days later, they suffered their first defeat, 6–0 at Arsenal. Theo Walcott opened the scoring on twelve minutes. Just after the half-hour mark, Ian Evatt brought down Marouane Chamakh inches outside the penalty area, but the referee, Mike Jones, awarded a penalty and dismissed the Blackpool defender. Andrei Arshavin doubled the Gunners' lead from the spot. Walcott netted his second of the half to make it 3–0 at the break. Abou Diaby made it 4–0 four minutes after the restart, and Walcott completed his hat-trick inside an hour. Chamakh completed the scoring with seven minutes remaining. The result saw Blackpool drop to tenth place in the table.
  On 24 August, Blackpool were knocked out of the League Cup in the second round by MK Dons.
  Three days later, Luke Varney joined Blackpool on a season-long loan from Derby County, with a view to a permanent deal. Varney scored on his debut in the following day's fixture: a 2–2 draw with Fulham at Bloomfield Road, in what was the first-ever Premier League game played at the ground.
  As the first transfer window of the season came to a close, four players were added to the squad. On deadline day itself, Matt Phillips arrived from Wycombe Wanderers for a £325,000 fee. The same day, the club tied-up the deal that had been hinted at since the end of the previous campaign. DJ Campbell, whose hat-trick in the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Nottingham Forest helped put Blackpool in the final, was signed on a permanent basis after his two loan spells during the 2009–10 campaign. On 1 September, the Seasiders also finalised deals with Australian midfielder David Carney and Ghanaian goalkeeper Richard Kingson, giving Ian Holloway thirty available players to work with until January.
  After a two-week international break, Blackpool returned to Premier League duty on 11 September with a visit to Newcastle United. A penalty from Charlie Adam just before half-time was the difference until DJ Campbell, with his first goal as a permanent Blackpool player, scored in injury time to seal the Tangerines' second Premier League victory in four games. The result put them fourth in the table, behind Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.
  Eight days later, they made their second trip to the capital in a month, where they faced Chelsea. Salomon Kalou opened the scoring for the hosts inside two minutes, and ten minutes later Florent Malouda doubled the lead. Didier Drogba made it 3–0 on the half-hour, before Malouda netted his second four minutes before the break to complete the scoring.
  On 25 September, Blackpool faced Blackburn Rovers at Bloomfield Road in only their second home Premier League game of the opening six. The fixture saw Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce's first return to the club since his sacking fourteen years earlier. Charlie Adam gave Rovers the lead with an own-goal after twenty minutes, and that is how the score remained until the 85th, when Matt Phillips equalised one minute after coming on as substitute for Neal Eardley. Brett Emerton scored the winner for Rovers three minutes into injury time.
  Eight days later, Blackpool faced Liverpool at Anfield for the first time in a league game since 9 January 1971. Charlie Adam put the visitors ahead with a 29th-minute penalty after Luke Varney was felled by Glen Johnson. It was Varney himself who doubled Blackpool's lead in first-half injury time. Sotirios Kyrgiakos gave the hosts hope with a header on 53 minutes, but the Seasiders held on for their third victory in seven Premier League outings.
  After another international break, Blackpool played only their third home Premier League match of the season, against Manchester City. Carlos Tevez put the visitors ahead after 67 minutes. Marlon Harewood, on as substitute for Elliot Gr
caption: Blackpool F.C.'s positions in the Premier League after each round of the 2010-11 season.
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