POF: Blackpool 1 West Ham United 2 (19/05/12)

[WoodgateHammer]

And for all the Nolan doubters.....watch the lead up to Vaz Te's goal again, Nolan beats the defender in a straight out foot race to chase the ball as it was going out of play....same as Vaz Te with his back flick....good to see that level of commitment.

[Hockley Hammer]

A mate of mine who knows a few people at the club spoke to one yesterday and said that the players were genuinely shocked at the width of the Wembley pitch and had to adjust some of their play.

It would explain why Blackpool aimed the long ball into the wings especially to Ince and Phillips from the off. If we were going to play a high line they knew there would be acres of space behind and they exploited it well.

Demel and Taylor could not risk getting forward as often as they have recently and it showed.

The substitution of McCartney for O'Neil was a very smart move. Blackpool never looked as dangerous and McCartney and Taylor worked well together as usual.

[Matt of iron]

A mate of mine who knows a few people at the club spoke to one yesterday and said that the players were genuinely shocked at the width of the Wembley pitch and had to adjust some of their play.

It would explain why Blackpool aimed the long ball into the wings especially to Ince and Phillips from the off. If we were going to play a high line they knew there would be acres of space behind and they exploited it well.

Demel and Taylor could not risk getting forward as often as they have recently and it showed.

The substitution of McCartney for O'Neil was a very smart move. Blackpool never looked as dangerous and McCartney and Taylor worked well together as usual.

I must admit at the time I was horrified as I thought we would get overrun in midfield but clearly I know **** all.

[sendô]

Macca should have come on at HT. Their goal came about because Taylor was edging forwards eager to get on the overlap and was caught the wrong side of Ince.

[ulster_hammer_87]

Great day out lads...

Enjoyed it We were running round 502 with our willys hanging out, We were running round 502 with our willys hanging out singing I've got a bigger one than you !!!!

http://fansonline.net/blackpool/mb/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They are accusing us of being racist and homophobic and have complained to the fa.

I didn't hear it and I was in 502.

The guy who complained was in 508. Emmmm wtf

Can i also add there was a steward in a suit and he was quality earned his money on Saturday. Told us to enjoy our day and don't cause trouble and he would let us stay. Missed about 5-10 mins moving round to west ham end in second half.

[last.caress]

Some incredibly juvenile bitterness spilling out of Blackpool's Alex Baptiste (LINK) (with thanks to clarkerm_ for posting the link to Twitter):

West Ham style slammed by Blackpool's Alex Baptiste

Alex Baptiste has criticised West Ham's style of football and referee Howard Webb after Blackpool's 2-1 play-off final loss at Wembley on Saturday.

"We were the better side," the defender told BBC Radio Lancashire. "It was embarrassing at times. They just hoof it long and hope for the best.

"It's a foul on me for the second goal, so the ref has done us no favours.

"I suppose everyone got what they wanted. Everyone wanted West Ham to win because they're a team from London."

Ricardo Vaz Te's goal three minutes from time sealed an instant return to the Premier League for the Hammers, in their first season under Sam Allardyce.

Tom Ince had earlier equalised for Blackpool after Carlton Cole opened the scoring.
Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

Baptiste continued: "Congratulations to them, they won the game, but I know who I would rather play for.

"I wouldn't survive in their team because I'm not tall enough. All of them are 8ft tall."

While West Ham can expect a windfall of around £45m following their promotion to the Premier League, Ian Holloway's side are now facing the prospect of Championship football again next season.

"If we keep the squad together, we'll go up next year," added Baptiste. "You've seen the football that we play. We've just got to believe in ourselves a little bit more.

" We experienced winning it two years ago and it's a cruel game sometimes.

"Maybe we didn't deserve it last time, but we sure as hell deserved it this time."

[fmgod]

" I know who I would rather play for"

A team with lots of history, London based, take 38k+ to Wembley, get over 30k at home, have good away support, have some decent players or well Blackpool.

What a muppet.

[Oldun]

Alex who?

[davids cross]

I think Alex has just woken up and realised he's still playing in the Championship.

Enjoy your holiday Alex...

[Iron Mark]

A foul for the second goal that no paper (that I have seen) or TV highlights have mentioned. Of course it was...

Everyone wanting West Ham to win is bull****. The media spent all week focused on Blackpool, the little kid who got upset at a match in the past got more airtime than Allardyce got with his press conference.

He wouldn't survive in our team because he isn't good enough. Wasn't he destroyed by Carew in the home game.

Blackpool deserved to beat us to get promoted, which is obviously why over 3 games this season they did not lead at any point in the game.

Their goal came from one of the longest balls in the game.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher seemed just as bitter on twitter a couple of days ago as well. They lost because they can't score, not a suprise really when even Lansbury can keep a clean sheet agains them.

[monkeyhanger]

Enjoy that pint of Bitter Alex.

[hammer]

West Ham style slammed by Blackpool's Alex Baptiste

deluded bitter c@nt

[Tarbs]

"All of them are 8ft tall"

smallestmidfieldwehaveeverhadlolz

[djclipz]

I think Alex has just woken up and realised he's still playing in the Championship.

Enjoy your holiday Alex...

christ i wonder what he thought when we put 4 past them in both league games.

[JohnsonWHU]

First time I've managed to get on here since the game.

What a day, was behind the goal and the celebrations when Vaz Te popped in the winner was epic, wont be something I'll forget in a hurry, fair play to Blackpool, there played well but what a time to score our first last winner of the season.

Bring on the premier league.

[trick88]

Valon Behrami @ValonBera

Hammers time!!!!congratulations!!you all deserve it!! @Faubertofficial @stijnvdb @stijnvdb #whufc #COYI

[MS in the West]

Well I've only just got back. Some brief thoughts.

I have never ever heard so much noise as made by the WHU fans in that stadium. My ears were ringing by the end!!

We went deathly quiet though after they scored. It was like we were in shock - sort of 'they can't do that'.

Some geezer then goes mental; at everyone and starts screaming to get the fans chanting (anyone else see him? I was in one of the higher tiers). And gradually we did, and the noise became deafening again.

No hint of trouble. Blackpool fans I met semed OK. Armosphere electric from the moment we left Wembley park Stadium

Brilliant brilliant day. Mind you we were pretty lucky to win. For large parts of the game I - and quite a few around me - had hearts in our mouths. Still can't argue with a 10-2 aggregate for this season!

[hammer the hamster]

Some incredibly juvenile bitterness spilling out of Blackpool's Alex Baptiste (LINK) (with thanks to clarkerm_ for posting the link to Twitter):

West Ham style slammed by Blackpool's Alex Baptiste

Alex Baptiste has criticised West Ham's style of football and referee Howard Webb after Blackpool's 2-1 play-off final loss at Wembley on Saturday.

"We were the better side," the defender told BBC Radio Lancashire. "It was embarrassing at times. They just hoof it long and hope for the best.

"It's a foul on me for the second goal, so the ref has done us no favours.

"I suppose everyone got what they wanted. Everyone wanted West Ham to win because they're a team from London."

Ricardo Vaz Te's goal three minutes from time sealed an instant return to the Premier League for the Hammers, in their first season under Sam Allardyce.

Tom Ince had earlier equalised for Blackpool after Carlton Cole opened the scoring.
Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

Baptiste continued: "Congratulations to them, they won the game, but I know who I would rather play for.

"I wouldn't survive in their team because I'm not tall enough. All of them are 8ft tall."

While West Ham can expect a windfall of around £45m following their promotion to the Premier League, Ian Holloway's side are now facing the prospect of Championship football again next season.

"If we keep the squad together, we'll go up next year," added Baptiste. "You've seen the football that we play. We've just got to believe in ourselves a little bit more.

" We experienced winning it two years ago and it's a cruel game sometimes.

"Maybe we didn't deserve it last time, but we sure as hell deserved it this time."

Take a look at this link and see what some of the Satsuma's are saying
http://fansonline.net/blackpool/mb/view.php?id=1128430" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe one of the mods could make this a thread of its own under Pool play hoofball?

[Louisc]

Who else got escorted, we were ok and keeping ourselves to ourselves until Carlton scored within 20 secs loads of stewards gave us the courtesy of escorting us into our end. Personally, i did not see any trouble sitting in the Blackpool end although we did stick out like sore thumb. Fair play to the stewards though they could of just kicked us out.

[terryturbo]

I was in the now "famous" 502 block.

We could see the absolute joy of the other west ham fans as they realised quite a few of us had managed to get in the blackpool end and were singing our hearts out.

they wouldnt let us down for a piss at half time, so i filled up a nice big coke cup! a few others were doubled up.

we got taken out with about 10 mins to go. there was panic on the other stewards faces as hundreds of hammers starting pouring into their gates from nowhere

i had to laugh at a few of the gimps giving it the biggun from below us, screaming get them out before i go and drag them out. that i would of liked to have seen.

being in their end taking the mick, made it all the more special for me!