1999–2000 Blackpool F.C. season

The 1999–2000 season was Blackpool F.C.'s 92nd season (89th consecutive) in the Football League. They competed in the 24-team Division Two, then the third tier of English league football, finishing 22nd. As a result, they were relegated to the league's basement division.

Blackpool F.C.

1999–2000 season
Owner	Owen Oyston
Chairman	Karl Oyston
Manager	Nigel Worthington (succeeded by Steve McMahon)
Division Two	22nd (relegated)
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	First round
Top goalscorer	League: John Murphy (10) All: John Murphy (10)
← 1998–99 2000–01 →

Nigel Worthington resigned as manager during the season. He was replaced by the former Liverpool midfielder Steve McMahon.

The club suffered a tragedy on 30 January 2000 with the death of striker Martin Aldridge in a car crash near Northampton at the age of 25. Aldridge, who had been at Blackpool for 18 months, was on loan at Rushden & Diamonds at the time of his death.

John Murphy was the club's top scorer, with ten goals in all competitions.

On 15 January, Bloomfield Road hosted a "Break The Gate" promotion for the visit of Luton Town. Chairman Karl Oyston pledged that revenue generated from home supporters in excess of the hardcore 3500 would be made available to Steve McMahon for team strengthening. Two days later it was announced that £12,000 had been raised.^[1] The scheme was repeated for the visit of Brentford on 29 January.^[1]

Final league table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
20	Oxford United	46	12	9	25	43	73	−30	45
21	Cardiff City (R)	46	9	17	20	45	67	−22	44	Relegation to the Third Division
22	Blackpool (R)	46	8	17	21	49	77	−28	41
23	Scunthorpe United (R)	46	9	12	25	40	74	−34	39
24	Chesterfield (R)	46	7	15	24	34	63	−29	36

Source: ^[2]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated

Results

Blackpool's score comes first

Legend

Win

Draw

Loss

Football League Second Division

Main article: 1999–2000 Football League

Blackpool hosting Oxford United on 30 August

Match	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
1	7 August 1999	Wrexham	H	2–1	5,008	Ormerod (2)
2	14 August 1999	Luton Town	A	2–3	5,176	Ormerod, Nowland
3	21 August 1999	Gillingham	H	1–1	4,203	Murphy
4	28 August 1999	Brentford	A	0–2	5,353
5	30 August 1999	Oxford United	H	1–1	3,670	Carlisle
6	4 September 1999	Bristol City	A	2–5	8,439	Ormerod, Murphy
7	11 September 1999	Notts County	A	1–2	5,512	Carlisle
8	18 September 1999	AFC Bournemouth	H	0–0	4,471
9	25 September 1999	Wycombe Wanderers	H	1–2	3,452	Ormerod
10	2 October 1999	Bristol Rovers	A	1–3	7,715	Ormerod
11	9 October 1999	Chesterfield	A	0–0	2,804
12	16 October 1999	Bury	H	0–5	5,270
13	19 October 1999	Oldham Athletic	H	1–2	3,845	Murphy
14	23 October 1999	Wycombe Wanderers	A	2–0	5,021	Nowland, Lee
15	2 November 1999	Cardiff City	A	1–1	4,223	Murphy
16	6 November 1999	Wigan Athletic	H	2–2	4,535	Murphy, Durnin
17	14 November 1999	Burnley	A	0–1	12,898
18	23 November 1999	Millwall	H	1–2	2,819	Murphy
19	27 November 1999	Cambridge United	H	2–1	4,040	Murphy, Clarkson
20	4 December 1999	Wrexham	A	1–1	2,668	Hills
21	18 December 1999	Preston North End	A	0–3	16,821
22	26 December 1999	Stoke City	H	1–2	5,214	Nowland
23	28 December 1999	Scunthorpe United	A	0–1	4,476
24	3 January 2000	Colchester United	H	1–1	3,462	Bent
25	8 January 2000	Reading	A	1–1	7,297	Matthews
26	15 January 2000	Luton Town	H	3–3	5,262	Ablett, Clarkson, Bushell
27	22 January 2000	Gillingham	A	3–1	6,805	Richardson, Matthews, Bushell
28	29 January 2000	Brentford	H	0–1	5,270
29	5 February 2000	Oxford United	A	1–0	5,179	Murphy
30	8 February 2000	Reading	H	0–2	4,791
31	12 February 2000	Bristol City	H	1–2	5,066	Murphy
32	19 February 2000	Cambridge United	A	2–0	4,636	Carlisle, Newell
33	26 February 2000	AFC Bournemouth	A	0–2	4,464
34	4 March 2000	Notts County	H	2–1	4,277	Lumsdon, Clarkson
35	7 March 2000	Wigan Athletic	A	1–5	6,451	Gill
36	11 March 2000	Cardiff City	H	2–2	5,015	Gill, Hills
37	18 March 2000	Millwall	A	1–1	10,506	Gill
38	21 March 2000	Burnley	H	1–1	8,029	Gill
39	25 March 2000	Stoke City	A	0–3	10,002
40	1 April 2000	Preston North End	H	0–0	9,042
41	8 April 2000	Colchester United	A	1–1	3,351	Thomas
42	15 April 2000	Scunthorpe United	H	0–2	5,542
43	22 April 2000	Bury	A	2–3	3,857	Gill, Newell
44	24 April 2000	Bristol Rovers	H	2–1	5,635	Gill, Thomas
45	29 April 2000	Oldham Athletic	A	1–1	6,290	Carlisle
46	6 May 2000	Chesterfield	H	2–2	3,860	Gill, Coid

FA Cup

Main article: 1999–2000 FA Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
R1	30 October 1999	Stoke City	H	2–0	4,721	Carlisle, Nowland
R2	20 November 1999	Hendon	H	2–0	2,975	Clarkson, Durnin
R3	13 December 1999	Arsenal	A	1–3	34,143	Clarkson

Football League Cup

Main article: 1999–2000 Football League Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
R1 1st Leg	10 August 1999	Tranmere Rovers	H	2–1	3,298	Hughes, Clarkson
R1 2nd Leg	24 August 1999	Tranmere Rovers	A	1–3	4,800	Clarkson

Football League Trophy

Main article: 1999–2000 Football League Trophy

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
R1	7 December 1999	Notts County	A	1–0	4,721	Clarkson
R2	11 January 2000	Mansfield Town	A	1–0	1,844	Matthews
QF	25 January 2000	Stoke City	H	1–2	4,943	Jaszczun

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  ENG Tony Caig 2 DF  ENG Andy Couzens 3 DF  ENG John Hills 4 DF  ENG David Bardsley 5 DF  ENG Clarke Carlisle 6 DF  WAL Ian Hughes 7 MF  ENG Junior Bent 8 MF  ENG Phil Clarkson 10 MF  ENG Steve Bushell 11 FW  ENG Brett Ormerod 12 FW  ENG Mike Newell 14 MF  ENG Adam Nowland 15 DF  ENG Barry Shuttleworth 16 DF  ENG Phil Thompson 17 MF  ENG Phil Robinson 18 MF  ENG Steve Garvey

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 MF  ENG Richard Forsyth 20 DF  ENG Paul Beesley 21 GK  ENG Phil Barnes 22 MF  ENG Wayne Gill 23 FW  ENG Darren Connell 24 DF  ENG Danny Coid 25 MF  ENG Rickie Lambert 26 FW  ENG John Murphy 27 DF  ENG Gary Ablett 28 GK  ENG Adam Rachel 30 MF  ENG Kevin Richardson 31 DF  ENG Tommy Jaszczun 33 FW  WAL James Thomas (on loan from Blackburn Rovers) 34 DF  WAL Eifion Jones 35 MF  ENG Richie Wellens 36 DF  ENG Wayne Maden

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 9 FW  ENG Martin Aldridge (died) 12 MF  ENG Marvin Bryan (to Bury) 22 MF  ENG David Lee (on loan from Wigan Athletic) 22 MF  ENG Rob Matthews (on loan from Stockport County) 22 MF  ENG Chris Lumsdon (on loan from Sunderland)

No. Pos. Nation Player 27 MF  NIR Jim Whitley (on loan from Manchester City) 27 MF  ENG John Durnin (on loan from Portsmouth) 27 FW  ENG Brian Quailey (on loan from West Bromwich) 29 DF  NIR Nigel Worthington (player-manager; to Norwich) 32 FW  JAM Darren Byfield (on loan from Aston Villa)