We continue our guide to this season's League One newcomers, taking a look at Blackpool.
The past couple of seasons have been something to forget as far as Blackpool fans are concerned, with a lack of investment hindering the club's ability to make a challenge to return to the Premier League, where they were just four years ago under Ian Holloway. Club chairman Karl Oyston has been at war with the Tangerines' fans over the little amount of money that has been used to bolster the playing squad, subsequently resulting in relegation from the Championship last season and a mass exodus of players leaving the club.Last season was a disaster for Blackpool from start to finish, with the club only having 15 players in their matchday squad on the opening day, two of which were 17-year-old academy scholars. They lost their first six league games and failed to register a win until the beginning of October, with the majority of fans already seeing the writing on the wall. Belgian Jose Riga was sacked towards the end of October and replaced by Lee Clark, something which did nothing to turn things around, as the club were relegated, finishing bottom in the process.
New boss Neil McDonald is looking to rebuild the club once more and has added Morecambe striker Jack Redshaw to the ranks, the former Manchester City academy player scored 12 goals last season and Blackpool fans will be hoping for more of the same or even better this time out. Also through the door is former Luton striker Mark Cullen, Cullen who was the Hatters top scorer last season joins for a fee of £180,000 with the hope of adding more goals to a side that lacked them so much last season.
Following the departure of Clark at the end of last season, Blackpool turned to former West Ham assistant boss McDonald in the hope of returning to the Championship. McDonald whose only previous permanent managerial experience came at Carlisle back in 2006, has recently been working under Sam Allardyce at West Ham United. He did also have a brief stint in caretaker charge of Blackburn back in 2009, but this is to be only his second full time managerial position and it's a big one at that.