Blackburn Rover 3-0 Blackpool (att: 452) No surprise. Blackpool held out at Ewood Park until just before half time. Jason Banton gave Rovers the lead in the 44th minute. Rovers only added a second goal with just eight minutes to go in the match, through Tom Hitchcock. And Jordan Bowen added a third in the final minute. However, Rovers manager Gary Bower named a very experienced team. Phil Jones, who has made two first team appearances was joined by Reserve team regulars Josh Morris, Jackson Ramm, Michael Potts and Jason Lowe. Blackpool team: 1. Chris Kettings 2. Jake Forshaw (captain) 3. Josh Roberts 4. Biko Youanda 5. Keiran D'Arcy 6. Adam Mitter 7. Thomas Barkhuizen 8. Kurt Bradley 9. Louis Almond 10. Liam Thomsett 11. Adam Dodd Subs: Jake Rooney (replaced Mitter, 57 mins) Adam Foster (replaced Bradley 46 mins) Joseph McDonald (replaced Dodd 66 mins) subs not used: Elliott Tarney Kingsley Francis-Reynolds
Second year scholar and versatile defender Ben Breakall is spending the next three days at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in a bid to force his way into the Northern Ireland under-18 and under-19 squad. The Fleetwood based youngster will be training at the Shropshire base hoping to get into the Northern Irish squad for their European Championship qualifiers in May.
The youth team recorded their 3rd victory of the season on Saturday morning with a 5-3 win over Joey Jones Wrexham side at Squires Gate. Blackpool's goals were scored by Louis Almond, Kurt Bradley, Tom Barkhuizen, Adam Mitter and Kieran D'Arcy.
The Head of Youth Department, Gary Parkinson has raised concerns about the youth team's game against Chester City which is due to be played at the Deva Stadium, Chester on Saturday. However, Chester are in financial trouble and their first team game in the Conference National, due to be played tonight has had to be cancelled because unpaid players have refused to travel to the game against Forest Green Rovers.
The Football League have now confirmed that the game against Chester City on Saturday will not go ahead.
With no league fixture, a friendly was hastily arranged, and Burnley were the visitors to Squires gate. Blackpool lost 0-3.
The youth team are in action this afternoon in the quarter-final of the Lancashire FA Youth Cup. Kick-off is 2:00pm at Squires Gate and entry is free. Gary Parkinson will be hoping for a much improved performance from Saturday when they lost 2-1 to Macclesfield Town.
Blackpool went into half-time 2-0 up with goals from Louis Almond and Tom Barkhuizen. Mid-way through the second half, Almond added his second to make it 3-0. Wigan then rallied with two late goals but it wasn't enough to prevent the Seasiders from reaching the semi-finals of the Lancashire FA Youth Cup as they won 3-2.
Ian Holloway today awarded youth team player Louis Almond with a professional contract. The deal will keep the young striker at Bloomfield Road until at least June 2011, with an option to extend it by a further year. Ollie said:
The youth team have been given a bye in the first round of the Lancashire FA Youth Cup. In the second round they will travel to PKE. In the FL Youth Alliance Cup they will travel to Mansfield Town.
Last Wednesday the youth team took part in a round-robin tournament at Manchester United's Carrington Road, and came home having won two out of their three games. They won their first game against Dario Gradi's Crewe Alexandra 3-0 with goals from Tom Barkhuizen, Adam Dodd and Kingsley Francis-Reynolds. In the second game they lost 1-0 to Burnley, coached by Terry Pashley. However, in the final game against hosts Manchester United, they won 1-0 with Kingsley Francis-Reynolds again on target for the Pool. The youth team have further friendlies against Nottingham Forest, Welshpool Town (Welsh club whose first team play in the Cymru Alliance, the second tier in Wales), local Fylde side Thornton Cleveleys, Swansea City and Accrington Stanley. They then start the new Youth Alliance season against Rochdale at Squires Gate.
The youth teams friendly against Nottingham Forest saw them emerge victorious. After going two goals behind in the opening five minutes at Squires Gate, Tom Barkhuizen pulled one back from the penalty spot before half-time. He then equalised after the break before Liam Thomsett hit a stunning effort from the edge of the box to give them the lead. Adam Dodd added a 4th with an 18-yard shot later on. It was an eventful 24 hours for the goalscores as they had all travelled with the first team to Crewe the night before with Tom Barkhuizen coming on as a second half substitute.
Head of Youth, Gary Parkinson, says they're making strides in improving the club's setup. A new intake of first-year scholars has helped the side record impressive performances against the likes of ManUre, Nottingham Forest and Crewe Alexandra Parkinson said
Keeper Chris Kettings has been called up to the Scotland under-19 squad for a friendly against Malta later this month at Cappielow Park, Greenock.
The youth team beat Accrington Stanley 4-2 yesterday with goals from Pa Modue Jobe, Adam Dodd, Kingsley Francis-Reynolds and Tom Barkhuizen.
Another pre-season friendly victory for the youth team last saturday. This time they beat Rochdale 5-2 with goals from Adam Mitter, Joe McDonald, Tom Barkhuizen, Adam Dodd and Kingsley Francis-Reynolds.
Head of Youth Gary Parkinson has now been moved off the critical list following his stroke last week, though he remains very poorly. His wife has delivered a message of thanks to all the Blackpool fans who have sent cards and flowers. Parkinson's family have been besieged by get-well-soon messages and say it is helping them through a difficult period. Pool secretary Matt Williams said: Of course it has been a really difficult time too at the club, with the youth team fixture cancelled last weekend and DJ Campbell, talking after the win over Newcastle saying how much it had affected all the players and staff, with a number of them in tears when they found out about Parky on Friday. And of course all the first team wore undershirts at Newcastle with individual messages of support for him. DJ got booked for removing his shirt to reveal his Parky message after scoring, not that he cared one iota about the yellow card. Ian Holloway in his post match interview said how Friday had been the most difficult day of his managerial career. Hopefully this will now see Gary on the road to recovery and he and his family will start to rebuild their lives.
It has now been confirned that Gary has "locked-in syndrome" where a patient is aware and awake but, due to almost complete paralysis of their muscles, cannot move or communicate apart from with their eyes. His wife Debbie is convinced that Gary will recover, even though only two people have ever made a recovery from this dreadful condition. Ian Holloway explained: Ollie visited Debbie yesterday, adding: Dr James McIlmoyle of Blackpool Victoria Hospital said of the syndrome: The two people who have recovered are Graham Miles, from Surrey, who in 1993 suffered a stroke and became paralysed apart from eyes. His condition improved gradually. Today he can walk with two sticks and drive a car. The most notable case of the syndrome is Parisian journalist Jean Dominique Bauby who suffered a stroke in December 1995, and could only control his left eyelid. By blinking that eye, he slowly dictated one letter at a time and, in so doing, was able to write his memoir, The Diving Bell and Butterfly, which was made into a film in 2007.
Another Parky update. He has been reviewed by a neuro-rehabilitation specialist at Royal Bolton hospital, who is working with the family on a plan for future care. His wife Debbie has once again thanked everyone - family, friends, previous clubs and supporters - for their support.
Latest update: Gary Parkinson is still in Royal Bolton hospital but may be moved to to a new neurological unit in Bury. Blackpool fans have raised £3000 for his family. The money was raised at Blackpool FC's Community Trust's charity dinner and has now been presented to his wife, Debbie. Community Trust boss Derek Spence said: Debbie Parkinson said: She also confirmed that she is hoping to meet Graham Miles from Brighton another victim of 'locked-in' syndrome who was left almost totally paralysed 17 years ago. He could only blink after being paralysed by a stroke but he is now able to walk with sticks.
Blackpool continued their amazing start to the 2010-11 season at the weekend with their sixth consecutive win to keep up their 100% start to the Youth Alliance season to lead the league with ease. On Saturday Blackpool played away against Carlisle United, in the game called off on the Saturday after Gary Parkinson was taken ill, and Blackpool extended their lead at the top of the table to four points with this 3-1 victory. In the Alliance Cup, Blackpool have been drawn away to Burnley. The full draw for the Northern area is: PKE v Carlisle United Stockport County v Rochdale Walsall v Oldham Athletic Rotherham United or Wigan Athletic v Grimsby Town Darlington v Tranmere Rovers Bury or Hull City v Morecambe Burnley v Blackpool Accrington Stanley v Doncaster Rovers or Macclesfield Town
Assistant manger Steve Thompson has revealed plans to raise funds for Gary Parkinson. Thompson and physio Phil Horner have regularly visited Parkinson in hospital. A close friend of Parkys, Thompson said last Friday:
The youth team kept up their amazing start to the 2010-11 season at the weekend with yet another victory, this time over Bury. Tom Barkhuizen and Kingsley Francis-Reynolds scored in a 2-1 win.