6. Bloomfield Road-Blackpool

Ground: Bloomfield Road
League: Coca-Cola Championship
Admission: £14.50
Score: Blackpool 2-2 Crystal Palace
Programme: yes £3
Attendance: 9, 702
Capacity: 12, 500
Seated: 12, 500
Covered: 10, 500
Town/City: Blackpool
Opposition: Crystal Palace
Date: 20.3.10
Club shop: yes
Floodlights: yes
Step: 2

This was a very important day for Blackpool fc as they were officially opening the new Jimmy Arnfield Stand. The stand was opened by the Blackpool legend himself just before the match.
This meant that there was a seating plan change.
Away fans are now sharing the North stand with Blackpool fans while the home fans move into the new stand. The uncovered stand was unused for the match and I’m unsure whether it will be used in future matches

The ground now has an increased capacity of 12, 500.
The main stand is the West Stand this holds what looks like about 4, 500 fans.
The east stand I think shouldn’t be allowed at this level of football. It would be surprising if it was even allowed to be used at Blue Square premier level.
The stand is basically just a metal rack with orange plastic seats in the gaps. The lighting for the stand is just a lamp tied onto a stick which is tied onto the back of the stand. I’m not even sure if the stand’s secured in properly. The club has said it is too dangerous too add a roof onto the stand and I can see why. A metal rack like that would just collapse under the weight of a tin roof. The stand has about 2, 000 seats in it.
The north stand is half for away fans, half for home fans. The stand is made exactly like the West Stand and holds about 3, 000.
The Jimmy Arnfield stand/South Stand holds another 3, 000 fans. A match programme is available for £3. It looks like most of the other ones you’ll find in the football league.

The ground is very close to the pier so after the match you can walk down to the town centre to go to the arcades or theme parks.
The match was disappointing for the away Palace fans as Blackpool came from 2 goals down to get a draw in the 2nd half after a last minute equaliser.

Blackpool fc matchday pictures