2021–22 Blackpool F.C. season
Blackpool 2021–22 football season / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about 2021–22 Blackpool F.C. season?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
The 2021–22 Blackpool F.C. season was the club's 113th season in the English Football League, and their first season back in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English professional football, after winning the EFL League One play-offs.[1][2] The season covered the period from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. It was head coach Neil Critchley's second full season in charge.
2021–22 season | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Owner and chairman | Simon Sadler | |||
Head coach | Neil Critchley | |||
Stadium | Bloomfield Road | |||
Championship | 16th | |||
FA Cup | Third round | |||
EFL Cup | Second round | |||
Top goalscorer | League: Gary Madine (9) All: Shayne Lavery (10) | |||
| ||||
Blackpool began the season by picking up two points from a possible 15 during August, with draws at Bristol City and Bournemouth, and defeats at home to Cardiff City and Coventry City and at Millwall. They reached the second round of the EFL Cup, after beating Middlesbrough in the first round, but exited at the hands of Sunderland. They finished August in 22nd place in the Championship table.
By contrast, Blackpool lost only once in September. In the league, they claimed ten points out of a possible 15, with victories at home to Fulham and Barnsley, and at Middlesbrough. A 3–0 home defeat to Huddersfield Town and a 1–1 draw at Hull City were the other two results. September was closed out with the club in 14th place in the table.
In October, the club's uptick in form continued as they won four of their five Championship fixtures, beating Blackburn Rovers (home), Reading (away), local rivals Preston North End and newly relegated Sheffield United (away). They lost at Nottingham Forest in the second fixture of the run. They finished October in sixth place in the table.
November returned three points from a possible fifteen, after three draws (at home to Q.P.R. and West Brom, and at Swansea City) were bookended by defeats at home to Stoke City and at Birmingham City. They finished November in 11th place in the table. Neil Critchley also signed a new, four-year contract with the club this month.
From the fifteen points available during December, Blackpool picked up three, from a 3–1 home victory over Peterborough United. Defeats occurred at home to Luton Town, at Derby County and Huddersfield, and at home to Middlesbrough. They finished the year in 13th place, albeit having played several games more than the teams around them.
In contrast to the end of 2021, Blackpool began the first month of 2022 unbeaten (in the league, at least), after consecutive single-goal home victories against Hull City and Millwall, followed up with a draw at league leaders Fulham. They exited the FA Cup at the third-round stage (the round in which they entered) on 8 January, at the hands of Hartlepool United.
February returned eight points from a possible eighteen, with wins at home to Bristol City and Reading, draws at Coventry City and Cardiff City and defeats at home to Bournemouth and at QPR.
Blackpool began March with two successive single-goal victories, at Stoke City and at home to Swansea City. A goalless draw, at Sheffield United, followed. Due to an international break, only nine points were available in March, of which Blackpool picked up seven.
April proved to be slim pickings for points, with only eight obtained from a possible 24. Victories came at home to Birmingham City and at Barnsley; draws were gained at Blackburn Rovers and Luton Town; while the four defeats came at home to Nottingham Forest, at Preston and West Bromwich Albion, and at home to Derby County.
Since Blackpool had eight fixtures in April, they had only one in the final month of the season. They lost 5–0 at already relegated Peterborough United, a result for which Neil Critchley and captain Chris Maxwell apologised to the travelling fans. They finished the season in 16th place in the Championship.