The next stop in our 'Residence' series sees us stroll along the Pleasure Beach, through the illuminations and up the promenade to the home of Blackpool F.C. Away from the famous theme park there's a constant rollercoaster of emotions going on at the town's football club. Swapping the waves of the coastline for a choppy sea of tangerine, this is Bloomfield Road.
It's turbulent times on and off the pitch for the Tangerines at present, but one thing that has remained consistent since 1900 is their home on Seasiders Way. Bloomfield Road has taken on a number of transformations as the football club have hopped up the leagues and back down again just as quickly. What fans look at today is the latest stage in a process of redevelopment that kicked into gear at the turn of the millennium – and the stadium still feels like a work in progress on our visit.
Capable of hosting just over 17,000 fans, Bloomfield Road shares a design similar to many new builds across the Football League, but it can't be accused of taking on the template bowl design just yet. What separates Blackpool's home in comparison to other flat-packed stadiums, other than the obvious temporary stand, is that the stands are steep. This creates a magnificent view of play and keeps the fans very much on top of the pitch with uninterrupted views. The temporary stand could be labelled as an eyesore, but for us it brings a much needed element of character and the low roof maximises the acoustics on match day.
With the Blackpool Tower creeping over the North Stand, it's a timely reminder of what this famous football club is representing – one of England's most heralded and traditional seaside resorts. A must visit, and the ultimate August or May away day. Premier League parties fresh in the memory, it's a League Two promotion push the people of Blackpool have now set sights on. Blackpool, thanks for having us and we sincerely wish the very best for the club in testing times. Up the Tangerines.
