Paul Smith


What: English Championship Playoff final
Who: Blackpool vs. Cardiff City
When: Saturday 22nd May, 2010, at 15:00 BST
Where: Wembley Stadium, London, England


From the Tower to the Arch

Blackpool stand on the brink of promotion to the Premier League and their first involvement in England's top flight since the 1970/71 season. Ian Holloway, in his first campaign with The Seasiders, has done a remarkable job as the club was expected to be facing a relegation battle. The former Plymouth Argyle manager has also gone a long way to rebuilding his reputation after a short spell at Leicester City in which the club was relegated to League One. If he can lead the Bloomfield Road outfit to England's top division his place in Blackpool folklore alongside the great Sir Stanley Matthews is guaranteed.

Bluebirds Flying High

A project that began with the eccentric Sam Hammam, now under the guidance of ex-Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale, Cardiff's quest to reach the Premier League has been a tumultuous saga that even the best scriptwriters would have struggled to create. The Bluebirds very existence has been questioned on occasion as creditors have tried to call in mounting debts. Much to the relief of Cardiff's passionate fanbase various visits to court prevented the club being wound up and now the team from the Welsh capital stand on the brink of promotion to the richest league in the world.

Recent form

Blackpool:
Blackpool 3-1 Nottingham Forest (Championship)
Peterborough 0-1 Blackpool (Championship)
Blackpool 1- 1 Bristol City (Championship)
Blackpool 2-1 Nottingham Forest (Championship Playoff Semi-final – first leg)
Nottingham Forest 3-4 Blackpool (Championship Playoff Semi-final – second leg)

Cardiff:
QPR 0-1 Cardiff City (Championship)
Cardiff City 3-2 Sheffield Wednesday (Championship)
Derby County 2-0 Cardiff City (Championship)
Leicester City 0-1 Cardiff City (Championship Playoff Semi-final – first leg)
Cardiff 2-3 Leicester City – Cardiff win 4-3 on penalties (Championship Playoff Semi-final – second leg)



Key Absences

Blackpool: None

Cardiff: Jay Bothroyd (Doubt; Calf) Michael Chopra (Doubt; Calf), Gavin Rae (Tendon)



Players to watch

Blackpool – Charlie Adam: The club's record signing has been at the forefront of Blackpool's promotion push. The Scotland international originally joined the Tangerines on loan from Rangers for the latter half of the 2008/09 season, in which he played a pivotal role in keeping Blackpool in the Championship and Adam subsequently completed a permanent transfer to Bloomfield Road during pre-season. The midfielder, who is comfortable playing in the centre or on the left, has been in sparkling form this campaign, so far scoring 16 goals in all competitions. Adam's performances were recognised when he was named in the PFA's 'Championship Team of the Year'.

Cardiff City – Peter Whittingham: The former Aston Villa player is undoubtedly having his best season in the Welsh capital since his move from the Midlands and Whittingham's goal tally for the season currently stands at 24 in all competitions. Even taking into account that he is the club's penalty taker, this is an impressive return for a midfielder. Unsurprisingly, the left-footed Whittingham, who is effective on both flanks, was named alongside Charlie Adam in the PFA 'Championship Team of the Year'.

Match prediction

An early summer heatwave is going to make it an uncomfortable afternoon for both sets of players in the confines of Wembley Stadium, so retaining possession is going to be crucial. The Seasiders have won eight of their last ten matches and are the team with momentum. On the other hand though, the Bluebirds will feel they have more big match experience following their appearance at the 2008 FA Cup final. With an estimated £90M at stake for promotion to the Premier League, it will be a tight, tense affair, but Blackpool will just edge it after extra time.

And don't forget: If you fancy a bet on this exciting game, you can find and compare the prices of all major online bookmakers at tip-ex.com.

 

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