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Blackpool SLO column 10:29 - Aug 23 with 126 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Top of the league after four games — what a fantastic start! Of course expectations were high, given the seismic changes of the last couple of months.

Thousands of Blackpool fans have been looking forward to the new season in a way we haven’t for years and surely few can be disappointed with how this latest trip has commenced.

The pitch now looks like a decent surface on which to play attractive, passing football; the stadium is starting to receive the facelift that it has badly needed; and the team in tangerine so nearly equalled a 70-year-old club record for the best start ever (under Joe Smith in 1946 — most of us weren’t even born then).

The positivity inside the club and around the town is so refreshing after the struggles of the last few years and of course it’s brilliant to have the fans back in numbers, averaging 10,000 for each of the home league games to date.

As I remarked in the most recent matchday programme, the players are really motivated by the atmosphere that’s building again at Bloomfield Road — and it can only get better.

Logistically those first home games threw up a few issues that the club is working hard to resolve.

Given the underinvestment around the place for so long, I think most people understand there’s a long list of improvement opportunities and I hope you appreciate it will take some time to address all of them.

My prime focus as Supporters’ Liaision Officer is to work for a better matchday experience for all fans at the football club and I have logged over 250 suggestions to date.

Many were obvious requirements — a scoreboard that works, a better PA system, greater and better choice of food and drink, faster service in the concourse bars, moving the away fans to the north end of the East Stand, attracting a new generation of young supporters; others less so — coach travel to away games, restoring the Junior Seasiders club, creating a Blackpool FC museum.

It’s a question of prioritising and funding, and the goal is one of continuous improvement as everyone works to reconnect the people of the town with their football club to make it, as Simon Sadler intends, a model of what a good community football club should be.

Some of the changes mentioned are already in place and others are in the pipeline.

A very successful ‘Open Day’ was held earlier this month, when some 800 young fans and their families watched the players train on the pitch, and got photos and autographs. It is hoped to repeat this opportunity at half-term.

The club is putting on coach travel to away games, starting with Rochdale tomorrow.

There are plans to live-screen home games on the concourse TVs so that fans queuing for refreshments won’t have to miss any of the on-field action.

It is hoped this will be in place for the next home fixture against Portsmouth.

Also, work has commenced this week on renovating the north end of the East Stand in readiness for accommodating away fans there.

It is my hope that week-by-week you will all see changes for the better when you visit Bloomfield Road and I’ll use these monthly columns in The Gazette to communicate the changes to you.

It’s a key responsibility of the SLO to be a conduit between fans and the club.

The days of the old bunker mentality are gone.

This is now a listening club again, where all suggestions or concerns will be acknowledged, given serious consideration and acted upon if it is possible and appropriate to do so — and where it is not, at least an explanation will be forthcoming.

If you have issues, concerns or suggestions for how to improve the quality of the matchday experience at Bloomfield Road, or just want to start a conversation, contact me.

You can reach me via twitter: @BFCSLO, via email: slo@blackpoolfc.co.uk and on Facebook: Blackpool FC Supporters’ Liaison Officer.

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/blackpool-slo-col

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Blackpool SLO column on 11:47 - Aug 23 with 113 viewsspell_chekker

I've heard reports of better stewarding too.

Well done.

Unfortunately, I'll give it until Christmas for the SLO to receive heavy criticism with regards to his duel role SLO / BST.

It won't come from me, that's for sure. It's just I feel it's bound to happen sooner or later. The dogs will have some sort of feeding frenzy on him.

Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
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Blackpool SLO column on 12:01 - Aug 23 with 111 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Blackpool SLO column on 11:47 - Aug 23 by spell_chekker

I've heard reports of better stewarding too.

Well done.

Unfortunately, I'll give it until Christmas for the SLO to receive heavy criticism with regards to his duel role SLO / BST.

It won't come from me, that's for sure. It's just I feel it's bound to happen sooner or later. The dogs will have some sort of feeding frenzy on him.


Spell

He's quitting/quit his role in BST.

Edit..... Yeah, he quit as BST secretary a bit back.
[Post edited 23 Aug 2019 12:11]

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Blackpool SLO column on 12:38 - Aug 23 with 107 viewsspell_chekker

Blackpool SLO column on 12:01 - Aug 23 by BringBackTheRedRoom

Spell

He's quitting/quit his role in BST.

Edit..... Yeah, he quit as BST secretary a bit back.
[Post edited 23 Aug 2019 12:11]


OK, I didn't know.

What a shame, he was great at BST.

Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
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Blackpool SLO column on 19:09 - Aug 23 with 102 viewsbasilrobbiereborn

Blackpool SLO column on 12:38 - Aug 23 by spell_chekker

OK, I didn't know.

What a shame, he was great at BST.


He was great at BST, but the kind of role the club want him to play would have made it very difficult for him to do both.

Fortunately Kevin B. has agreed to come back, so it has all turned out very well in the end.

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Blackpool SLO column on 19:23 - Aug 23 with 98 viewsROTTWEILERS

Blackpool SLO column on 19:09 - Aug 23 by basilrobbiereborn

He was great at BST, but the kind of role the club want him to play would have made it very difficult for him to do both.

Fortunately Kevin B. has agreed to come back, so it has all turned out very well in the end.


Personally, I would've preferred Steve to stay with BST.

With regards the statement, I'm not sure why a scoreboard and PA system are classed as obvious requirements but reinstating Junior Seasiders isn't. There was just no reason to get rid of it - even if the offer was tinkered with as I can understand it was daft cheap last season

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