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Mid-season report: Blackpool

Sports Mole looks back on a distressing first half of the 2014-15 Championship season for rockbottom Blackpool.

Few will be surprised to see Blackpool languishing at the bottom of the table as the Championship season enters its 2015 half.

The Tangerines, who drastically tumbled down the table in the second half of last season, had all sorts go wrong in the summer as they cancelled their pre-season tour because they didn't have a big enough squad.

Losing key players like Matt Gilks, Craig Cathcart and Thomas Ince didn't help and the few incomings hardly did anything to excite as the Seaside club scrambled together a team just in time for the new season.

Jose Riga as the new manager did show signs of promise given his effort keeping Charlton Athletic up the previous season, but he couldn't do anything for the team and was gone in October, with Lee Clark succeeding him at Bloomfield Road.

Clark is learning just how hard it will be to keep this group of players up and many already consider them goners with a nine-point gap to safety.

Here, Sports Mole recaps a few months to forget for the Lancashire outfit.

August

Jose Riga, Manager of Blackpool looks on ahead of the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall and Blackpool at The Den on August 30, 2014© Getty Images

The Tangerines just about had enough players for the opening-day fixture at Nottingham Forest, which was lost 2-0 after two quick goals in the first half from Forest. Another scoreless defeat on the road at League Two side Shrewsbury Town, who are managed by former Tangerines captain Micky Mellon, in the League Cup followed before the club's first home game against nearby Blackburn Rovers.

Although they ended their scoring drought thanks to a goal from Tomasz Cywka, it came after Rovers had gone two up and wasn't enough to take anything from the game. Newly-promoted Brentford were next to visit Bloomfield Road and they left with the points as well before further defeats at Wigan Athletic and Millwall meant it was nil points for August and Blackpool were already four points from safety.

September

September wouldn't bring a win, but Blackpool did finally get some points on the board as they alternated between draws and defeats, starting with an encouraging stalemate at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers. It was followed by a 1-0 defeat at home to Blackpool and another goalless draw at Brighton & Hove Albion, making it three games without a goal.

Nathan Delfouneso of Blackpool holds off a challenge from Ikechi Anya of Watford during the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackpool and Watford at Bloomfield Road on September 16, 2014© Getty Images

Norwich City were the fourth team to leave Bloomfield Road with the points after a pair of late goals, but the Seasiders were producing some encouraging displays, like the 1-1 draw away at playoff-chasing Middlesbrough to end September, but still that first win eluded them.

October

It would come on Friday, October 3 at the 11th attempt in the league as Francois Zoko's second-half goal was enough to beat Cardiff City. Looking back, that made it just one defeat in four games, but they were unable to build on the first win.

A run of four straight defeats followed and it was after the third of these - a 3-0 defeat at Reading - that Riga was sacked after less than five months in charge.

Lee Clark, sacked by Birmingham City 10 days earlier, was quickly appointed, but his arrival wouldn't bring about a change of fortunes.

November

Ipswich Town were the first to visit under Clark's reign and the Tractor Boys earned just their second away win of the season with a comfortable 2-0 triumph.

Clark quickly added to the squad by bringing in Norwich's Jacob Murphy on loan, as well as the short-term additions of Jonathan Legear and Jamie O'Hara.

Bryan Ruiz of Fulham tackles David Perkins of Blackpool during the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Blackpool at Craven Cottage on November 5, 2014© Getty Images

Murphy would score on his debut to put the Tangerines 2-0 up at Fulham, but Clark wouldn't have his first win as the Cottagers fought back for a point.

Blackpool's winless away record continued with a 3-1 beating at Leeds United, but that would be their last defeat in over a month.

Following a third international break of the season, Clark's men went four games unbeaten after he bolstered the squad further with the signing of free agents Chris Eagles and Nyron Nosworthy.

They finished November with 1-1 draws at home to Bolton Wanderers and at Rotherham United.

December

December began with a second win of the season and it was especially sweet for Clark as his former club Birmingham City were put to the sword at Bloomfield Road for their first defeat under Clark's replacement Gary Rowett.

Blackpool Manager Lee Clark looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Blackpool at Craven Cottage on November 5, 2014© Getty Images

Steven Davies scored the winner after netting a late equaliser against Rotherham in the game before and he would score for a third game in a row to rescue a late point for the Tangerines against Charlton Athletic.

That moved Blackpool back to within single figures of safety, but their bubble was well and truly burst when league leaders Bournemouth visited and put six past them, showcasing the gulf between the two sides this season.

A Boxing Day defeat at Sheffield Wednesday was next before 2014 ended with another late draw, with Rotherham the latest team to be denied all three points after Dominic Telford's first senior goal.

It's hard to imagine anything but relegation this season for the Seasiders. They go into the New Year nine points adrift of safety and Clark might struggle to attract players in January that will have a serious impact.

Position at start of 2015: 24th

Star man: Joe Lewis

Must do better: Nathan Delfouneso

Where to strengthen in January: If possible, everywhere

Mid-season grade: E-

To see Blackpool's remaining fixtures in 2014-15, click here.

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Blackpool Manager Lee Clark looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Blackpool at Craven Cottage on November 5, 2014
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