09.05.2021 | 12 : 0 0 | # 26 | £ 3 . 0 0 BLACKPOOL v BRISTOL ROVERS MATCH SPONSORS Blackpool 2021 Welcome Back We can’t wait to see you in 2021 Plan your trip to the seaside and order your Destination Guide now at visitblackpool.com/guide BLACKPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB Bloomfield Road, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, FY1 6JJ www.blackpoolfc.co.uk chris maxwell The captain on his double award winning week CHRIS MAXWELL The captain looks ahead to today’s match. THE HEAD COACH Neil Critchley’s pre-match notes. CLUB HONOURS Championship Play-off Winners: 2009-10 League One Play-off Winners: 2006-07 League Two Play-off Winners: 2016-17 Division One (old) Runners-up: 1955-56 Division Two (old) Winners: 1929-30 Division Two (old) Runners-up: 1936-37, 1969-70 Division Three (old) Play-off Winners: 2000-01 Division Four (old) Runners-up: 1984-85 Division Four (old) Play-off Winners: 1991-92 FA Cup Winners: 1953 FA Cup Runners-up: 1948, 1951 LDV Trophy Winners: 2002,2004 Anglo-Italian Cup Winners: 1971 Editors Stewart Hudson & Harry Lyons Design jmocreative.co.uk Print Curtis Sport Shop & Ticket Office 01253 599745 Hotel 01253 401953 B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 3 18 Youth team Youngster Arnold Matshazi reflects on his debut season for the U18’s bristol rovers A closer look at today’s visitors. 05 07 14 27 Lookers Volkswagen Blackpool Proud vehicle sponsors of Blackpool FC Great deals available for all supporters Lookers Volkswagen Blackpool Volkswagen House, Ashworth Road, Blackpool , Lancashire FY4 4UW 01253 512 102 Welcome to Joey Barton and everybody from Bristol Rovers for our final game of the regular Sky Bet League One season here at Bloomfield Road. It was a feeling of sheer delight for the players after confirming a place in the play-offs on Tuesday night. They have shown incredible consistency throughout a relentless fixture schedule, particularly since January, so the chance to now compete in the play-offs is fully deserved. However, we’re not done yet and there are some big games to come. The clean sheet we kept against Doncaster Rovers in midweek means that Chris Maxwell will now collect the Golden Glove this lunchtime, which is a fantastic achievement. He fully deserves that accolade, and I know he’ll be the first to applaud the players in front of him for the way they’ve helped him defensively. Already securing our spot in the top six gives us a little bit of a breather, but I want to win every game, and that will be the case against Bristol Rovers. Consistency is important in everything we do. Winning breeds confidence and we also want to keep building momentum. We will still make some changes though, as we keep everybody up to speed and fresh for the other matches we now have coming up. We’ve stressed throughout the season that this is a squad effort. We’re in good form, scoring goals and keeping clean sheets, so we want that to continue now. UTMP! B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 5 NEW WALKOUT TRAINING JACKETS SHOP NOW Good afternoon and welcome to all of the players and staff from Bristol Rovers for today’s match. Tuesday night saw us secure our place in the play-offs and extend our season just a little bit further. We are all thrilled to have gone this far and to put ourselves in a strong position to achieve something really special come the end of the season. Looking back, I think we deserve this opportunity and are looking forward to what lies ahead. I think our performance in Tuesday night’s win over Doncaster was professional and deserved. Ellis and Jerry did so well together up top again, and it’s nice that Ellis was able to get back on the scoresheet again with both goals. We knew a single point would secure our place in the play-offs, but we didn’t rest on our laurels, and grabbed another three points to add to our tally. The scenes outside the stadium after Tuesday’s game were fantastic, and myself and all of the players appreciate your support. We know throughout the past year that, despite you not being able to attend matches, you have been supporting the side with the same passion and belief that you always have. For a few supporters to travel down to Northampton on Saturday, and more congregate outside the stadium on Tuesday night was really touching and we all appreciate your support. Today we welcome Bristol Rovers for what is our last game of the regular season. It’s been a season to remember so far for us, picking up some good results throughout the campaign, and we want to put ourselves in the best possible situation and finish the season as strongly as we can. UTMP! Maxi. B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 7 For Better Mental Health PUBLIC HEALTH GET VOCAL Voice Talk to your mates. Spend time with your family. Good relationships build better mental health. Observe Live in the moment and focus on the now by using your senses to really see, hear and feel what’s around you. Connect Connecting with others can give you a sense of purpose. Every day, make a new connection by sharing a smile, a kind word or a good deed. Active Getting active releases a hormone that reduces stress, anxiety and tension. It helps clear the mind too. Learn Learning something new can make you more confident. It’s also a great way of connecting with other people. FIND OUT MORE - blackpool.gov.uk/getvocal B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 9 Best bit of advice you’ve had in your career? I’ve not really had any advice I can think of, but I’d say to someone else, “understand where you are at, and know where you need to go to get to where you want to be.” Who was your sporting hero? Pfff... I have three. Thierry Henry, the real Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. If you could change one rule in football, what would it be? VAR. Any pre-match superstitions? I always spray my shirt. I like to smell good when I get on the pitch. What football boots do you wear? Nike Mercurial. If a film was made about your life, who would you want to play you? Denzel Washington Favourite film? Any Marvel films. Favourite goal you’ve scored in your career? I scored a good goal for Swindon against Grimsby a few years ago. That’s up there. What would you have been if you weren’t a footballer? A coach to then hopefully go into management. Name four other players alongside yourself who would be in your dream five a side team? Maldini, Buffon, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo. getting to know... Keshi Anderson The ‘homemade waste pipe goal’. Waste pipes, push-fit knuckle bends and some barrier fencing. It doesn’t seem like much, but sometimes it’s all you need to transform your garden into a proper footy pitch. HELPING FAMILIES ENJOY FOOTBALL AT HOME OFFICIAL TRADE & HARDWARE RETAIL PARTNER BALLARD MISSES OUT ON MONTHLY ACCOLADE MAXWELL NAMED PFA PLAYER IN THE COMMUNITY Defender Daniel Ballard has missed out on winning the Sky Bet League One Player of the Month award for April. The on-loan Arsenal man was listed on a shortlist of four for the divisional accolade, however his international team-mate for Northern Ireland, Josh Magennis claimed the trophy after scoring six goals en-route to Hull City securing promotion as champions. Blackpool captain Chris Maxwell has picked up an award for his efforts in the community this season. The Seasiders’ stopper has been named the Club’s PFA Player in the Community for his support with Community Trust activities. Leading by example as a role model, Chris has publicly supported some of the key issues faced by the demographic of our local community during lockdown. He has given up his time to meet virtually with Blackpool FC Community Trust mental health groups and written letters of support to the older generation of socially isolated BFC fans. The 30-year-old is a big advocate of education at Blackpool and has spent time talking to pupils from local schools and BFCCT Sports students about the importance of bettering yourself through education. In recent months, Chris has also championed childhood reading. B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 1 1 SUPPORT YOUR CLUB, WHEREVER YOU MAY BE VIDEO & AUDIO PACKAGES AVAILABLE Live Streaming – Match Commentary Behind the Scenes Exclusive Content www.efl.com/ifollow theEFL EFL @EFL The Gas BRISTOL rovers Formed: 1883; 137 years ago Nickname: The Gas Last Season: 14th Bristol Rovers visit Bloomfield Road today having already been relegated down to League Two after a difficult season for the Club. The Gas have been rooted to the bottom of the table for several months and are currently into their third manager of the season, with Ben Garner and Paul Tisdale both dismissed before Joey Barton took over in February. Rovers have suffered 27 defeat from their 45 league matches so far this season, with finding the back of the net proving the main issue. The Gas have scored just 40 goals this season, with Northampton Town the only side to match that record. Their last victory came on Easter Monday in a 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers, with the side also picking up the three points in the reverse of today’s fixture, where Blackpool lost 2-1 at the Memorial Stadium back in January. day Hargreaves Williams hare Baldwin rodman westbrooke Leahy oztumer hanlan Kilgour B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 1 4 Joey Barton Former Fleetwood boss Joey Barton took charge of Bristol Rovers in February 2021, with the side in a battle to avoid the drop to Sky Bet League Two. 17 games into his tenure, Barton has struggled to pick up the form, winning just three of his matches so far. A former Premier League midfielder, Barton has played for the likes of Manchester City, Newcastle United and Rangers, going on to have a distinguished career. A central-midfielder, Westbrooke joined Bristol Rovers in 2020 from Coventry City. The 24-year-old has two goals and seven assists to his name so far this season. Key player: Zain Westbrooke 28-year-old full-back, Luke Leahy, joined Bristol Rovers from Walsall in 2019. Leahy has ten goals to his name in all competitions this season, including two in the side’s Emirates FA Cup 6-0 thumping over Darlington earlier in the season. Top scorer: Luke Leahy B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 1 5 YOUR TEAM YOUR HIRECARD It’s been a season to remember for Chris Maxwell, and that’s before the drama of the play-offs begins. Chosen as club captain by Neil Critchley in pre-season, the 30-year-old has gone on to play in 50 of Blackpool’s 54 matches in all competitions this season, including every league game. Ahead of Sunday’s game with Bristol Rovers, Maxwell has kept a record 21 league clean sheets, meaning he cannot be caught in the race for the league’s Golden Glove Award, which he will be presented with before the match. Not only that, but the shot- stopper has also been presented with the PFA Player in the Community Award for all of his support and effort with the numerous projects conducted by Blackpool FC Community Trust. “I’m really pleased and touched to accept both awards,” Maxwell said. “On a personal note, to have won the Golden Glove Award is something I’m really proud of, but it’s a testament to how well the side has worked all season. For us to keep 21 league clean sheets with a game to go proves how much work and effort all of the players and coaching staff have put in during our training sessions. It’s a great achievement, and one we all deserve. “I’ve always been a big advocate for supporting the local community in anything we can. The Community Trust do some really important work across Blackpool and the surrounding areas, particularly in deprived areas across the town. I’m pleased to have been involved in projects to help the education of young people in the area and meet some of the participants of the Trust’s mental health groups. So much more work needs to be done to help people within our communities, and the Community Trust’s work is invaluable at building bridges and supporting people.” After the victory over Doncaster on Tuesday night, Blackpool secured their place in the play- offs, with the side now just two matches away from a place at Wembley Stadium. “The side has worked incredibly hard throughout the season to get to this point,” Maxwell said. “I’ve said countless times this season that I always had the belief that this team could go far, even when results weren’t going our way at the start of the season. The squad is full of talented individuals and with a Head Coach who has such a clear and concise vision for where he wants to go in charge, we can achieve anything. “It’s been a really pleasing season for us as a team, and to be the one to captain the side to this point has been a real personal highlight. We’re looking forward to Sunday’s match with Bristol Rovers, and then we’ll get our heads down and continue to work hard as we try and achieve what we set out to do at the start of the season.” B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 1 8 B L A C K P O O L F C . C O . U K | 1 9 On a personal note, to have won the Golden Glove Award is something I’m really proud of, but it’s a testament to how well the side has worked all season.