Saturday 12th January 1924

For their first round FA Cup tie against Sheffield United on 12 January 1924 Blackpool incorporated the stands used on the promenade during the 1923 Carnival Week to augment the accommodation on the popular (east) side of the ground. This added an extra 2,000 reserved seats to the capacity and they sold for five shillings and ninepence (just under 30p) and were available, perhaps surprisingly, from Mr C H Wells’ restaurant at 61 Central Drive. Disappointingly the crowd was only 12,567, spectators perhaps put off by the letter that ‘Fair Play’ wrote to the Gazette prior to the game. He wrote, “I must point out the wretched condition of the road leading off Central Drive to the ground, seeing that thousands will be using the road. Surely the club or highway authorities will do something to make the road passable for foot passengers. Do not let the town get a bad name with other parts of the country for ill-paved and dirty streets.” Those Seasiders supporters who did attend went home well pleased as a goal from Bert White put them through to round two. 

Saturday 12th January 1929

Long before the two sides met in the league, there was a small matter of an FA Cup third-round tie against Plymouth Argyle in January 1929.  The travelling support that day included a train full of Blackpool fans having paid a return fare of £1 5s 6d (around £1.27 these days) which included a hearty breakfast! There were over 30,000 inside Home Park to see Sammy Black score a hat-trick in the 3-0 win for the Third Division (South) underdogs against their Division Two opponents.

Monday 12th January 1953

Thirteen is deemed unlucky for some but not on this occasion for Blackpool. They were ball number thirteen in the bag for the fourth round draw on 12 January. They were drawn out third, after the Preston versus Tranmere Rovers or Tottenham Hotspur pairing, thus earning themselves a home tie. Their opponents were once again from Yorkshire, Huddersfield Town of the Second Division. The two teams had only met once in an FA Cup tie, in 1933, when Blackpool, relegated to Division Two at the end of the season, won 2-0 in the fourth round at Bloomfield Road.

BLACKPOOL ON THIS DAY

Blackpool Football Club On This Day chronicles, in diary form, the major events in the Seasiders long and colourful history.

Full of fascinating daily facts and trivia about Blackpool FC's glorious history and colourful tradition that has been compiled and researched by a passionate Seasider fan Peter Gillatt an online fans site editor since 1996.

"This book is, therefore, an ideal opportunity for both me and all Blackpool Supporters to recall events in the clubs history." "Jimmy Armfield OBE, CBE"

Blackpool - On This Day is available now at £6.99 from Amazon and also from Waterstone's, HMV, WHSmiths, signed copies are only available from the Stripe Publishing bookshop on eBay.