The 2023–24 season was the 115th season in the history of Blackpool F.C., and their first season back in League One, the third tier of English professional football, since the 2020–21 season, following their relegation from the EFL Championship at the end of the 2022–23 season. They finished in eighth position in the league table, with 73 points from their 46 games. The club also participated in three cup competitions: they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round, knocked out of the EFL Cup in the second round and knocked out of the EFL Trophy in the semi-finals.
Jordan Rhodes, on loan from Huddersfield Town, was the club's top scorer, with fifteen goals in all competitions.
It was Neil Critchley's first season as manager, in his second spell at the club. It was also the club's 100th season in tangerine.
Pre-season Blackpool made two signings which became official on 1 July: midfielder Albie Morgan and defender Matthew Pennington both arrived on free transfers, upon the expiration of their contracts with their previous clubs.
On 7 July, Blackpool travelled down the coast to Southport for their opening friendly. Goals from Kenny Dougall, Brad Holmes and Matty Virtue gave the visitors victory.
Blackpool hosted newly promoted Championship side Plymouth Argyle on 15 July. Plymouth won 2–1. Blackpool's goal came from Shayne Lavery's penalty.
Four days later, the Seasiders faced a Wolverhampton Wanderers XI at Compton Park Training Ground in a behind-closed-doors fixture. Blackpool won 4–2, with goals from Shayne Lavery (two) and Albie Morgan, as well as an own-goal.
Barrow was the destination on 22 July. Blackpool won 5–0, with goals from Matty Virtue, Shayne Lavery, Jake Beesley and Sonny Carey (two).
Results On 2 June, Blackpool confirmed their first three pre-season friendlies, against Southport, Barrow and Morecambe. A fourth fixture was later added, versus Hibernian.
Season proper
August Blackpool opened their league campaign on 5 August with a 2–0 victory over Burton Albion at Bloomfield Road, in what was Neil Critchley's first competitive fixture back in charge of the team. A double from Shayne Lavery midway through the first half proved to be the difference.
Three days later, they booked their place in the second round of the EFL Cup after a 2–0 win at Derby County. Jake Beesley scored both Blackpool goals. They will face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium in the week commencing 28 August.
The club brought in midfielder Jensen Weir from Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan on 11 August.
A long trip to Exeter City on 12 August resulted in a point after a goalless draw. Blackpool dropped four places to eighth with the point.
Port Vale were the visitors to Bloomfield Road on 15 August in a match that finished goalless. Blackpool remained eighth.
The following day, midfielder Tashan Oakley-Boothe joined on a free transfer.
A third-successive scoreless match occurred on 19 August, when Blackpool hosted Leyton Orient. The Tangerines, still undefeated, dropped three places to eleventh.
On 25 August, striker Jordan Rhodes joined the club, on loan from Huddersfield Town, for the remainder of the season.
The club's first defeat occurred on 26 August, at Lincoln City, with a 3–0 scoreline for the hosts. Oliver Norburn was sent off for the visitors in the second half. Blackpool dropped four places to fifteenth.
Blackpool were knocked out of the EFL Cup at the second-round stage by Wolverhampton Wanderers on 29 August, after a 5–0 scoreline at Molineux. It was their fifth-consecutive game without a goal, a total of 450 minutes.
On 30 August, winger Karamoko Dembélé joined on a season-long loan from Brest. Tom Trybull was released by mutual consent the following day.
September On 2 September, Blackpool beat Wigan Athletic 2–1, with goals from Jordan Rhodes (on his home debut) and Kenny Dougall (a 94th-minute winner). Blackpool climbed three places to twelfth with the victory.
Three days later, Blackpool travelled up the coast to face Barrow in the EFL Trophy. Goals from Sonny Carey and new arrival Kylian Kouassi gave Blackpool the three points.
After an eleven-day international break, Blackpool visited Wycombe Wanderers. They were beaten 2–0, and dropped two places to fourteenth in the table.
On 23 September, Blackpool beat Reading 4–1 at Bloomfield Road. Jordan Rhodes scored a hat-trick (the first Blackpool player to do so since Nathan Delfouneso in 2018); the other goal came from Kylian Kouassi on his starting debut. Blackpool remained fourteenth.
A second-successive victory followed on 30 September with a 1–0 scoreline at Barnsley. Jordan Rhodes scored from the penalty spot, his fifth goal in three games. Blackpool climbed three places to eleventh.
October Derby County beat Blackpool 3–1 at Bloomfield Road on 3 October, inflicting the Seasiders' first home defeat of the campaign. The hosts dropped two places to thirteenth.
On 7 October, Blackpool travelled to London to face Charlton Athletic. The visitors let slip a two-goal lead and had to settle for a draw. Jordan Rhodes (with his sixth goal of the campaign) and Kylian Kouassi, with his first for the club, were Blackpool's goal scorers. They climbed three places to tenth with the point.
Blackpool made it two wins out of two in the EFL Trophy on 10 October, with a 5–2 scoreline against Liverpool F.C. Academy. Kylian Kouassi scored a hat-trick; the other two goals came from Albie Morgan and Andy Lyons, on his return to the team following a family bereavement.
Blackpool beat Stevenage Borough 3–0 at Bloomfield Road on 14 October, the goals coming from Jordan Rhodes, Owen Dale and CJ Hamilton. Blackpool climbed three places to seventh, although several teams around them had their matches postponed due to international call-ups.
A trip to Oxford United a week later resulted in a 1–1 draw, with Blackpool equalising in stoppage time through Jordan Rhodes. They remained seventh.
Blackpool climbed into the play-off places with a 3–2 victory at home to Cheltenham Town on 24 August. The hosts' goals came from Shayne Lavery, Jordan Rhodes (his ninth goal in ten appearances) and Karamoko Dembélé (his first goal for the club).
October ended with a 4–2 defeat to Peterborough United at Bloomfield Road. Oliver Casey was dismissed early in the second half. Blackpool went 3–0 down from the subsequent free-kick but fought back to 3–2, with goals from Kenny Dougall and Sonny Carey, but conceded again in stoppage time. Blackpool dropped one place to seventh.
November The fourth month of the campaign began with a 3–3 draw at nearby Fleetwood Town. The home side went 2–0 up in the first half, but Blackpool came back to lead 3–2 (through two goals from Sonny Carey and one from Shayne Lavery) in the second half. Fleetwood equalised into ten minutes of stoppage time. Blackpool dropped one place to eighth with the point.
Blackpool reached the second round of the FA Cup with a 2–0 victory at Bromley on 4 November. The goals came from Shayne Lavery and Kylian Kouassi.
On 11 November, Blackpool lost 1–0 at Bolton Wanderers, managed by former Seasiders captain Ian Evatt. Blackpool remained eighth but had now played a game more than the teams around them.
Three days later, Blackpool beat Morecambe 2–1 in the EFL Trophy, maintaining their place atop Northern Group A and sealing their progression to the second round.
On 18 November, Blackpool beat Shrewsbury Town 4–0 at Bloomfield Road, with goals from Jordan Rhodes, Jake Beesley (2) and Kyle Joseph (his first for the club).
Blackpool travelled to top-of-the-table Portsmouth on 25 November, and returned with all three points in a 4–0 victory, bringing to an end Posh's 27-game unbeaten run. The hosts were reduced to ten men just after the hour mark, by which point Blackpool were 2–0 up, after goals from Owen Dale and Jake Beesley. CJ Hamilton scored with fifteen minutes remaining, and Albie Morgan made it 4–0 on 87 minutes. Blackpool climbed one place to seventh with the victory, although the team above and below them each have a game in hand.
A defeat, 2–1 at home to Northampton Town, followed three days later. Jordan Rhodes scored the home side's goal, his eleventh for the club, who dropped one place to eighth.
December On 5 December, Blackpool beat Barnsley 2–1 in the second round of the EFL Trophy. Owen Dale and Jake Beesley got the hosts' goals.
Four days later, Blackpool made it three wins out of four in the league as they beat Carlisle United 3–0 at Bloomfield Road. Andy Lyons and a double from Jordan Rhodes (bringing his tally for the season to 13) were the scorers. Blackpool remained eighth.
Blackpool fell to defeat at Cambridge United on 16 December, followed by a 3–1 victory at home to Bristol Rovers on 23 December.
A single-goal defeat occurred at Burton Albion on Boxing Day.
A trip to Vale Park on 29 December resulted in a 3–0 defeat for Neil Critchley's side. Blackpool had remained in eighth position in the League One table throughout December, although the teams either side of them each had two games in hand.
January Blackpool got 2024 underway with a 2–0 New Year's Day victory over Lincoln City at Bloomfield Road. Jordan Rhodes and CJ Hamilton scored the goals. On the transfer front, Jensen Weir was recalled by Brighton.
On 7 January, Blackpool travelled to Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup. The visitors went 2–0 up, through goals by Jordan Gabriel and Albie Morgan, but Forest fought back, with the tie finishing 2–2. A replay will be held at Bloomfield Road in the coming weeks. The following day, left-sided player Hayden Coulson, 25, joined Blackpool on loan from Middlesbrough.
Blackpool reached the quarter-finals of the EFL Trophy on 10 January, following a 2–1 victory over Burton Albion at Bloomfield Road. Matty Virtue and Marvin Ekpiteta got the hosts' goals.
On 12 January, left-back Dominic Thompson was loaned out to Forest Green Rovers until the end of the season, while central defender Doug Tharme made a permanent move to Grimsby Town.
For the third time this season, Blackpool achieved back-to-back wins in the league, with a 2–0 scoreline over Exeter City at Bloomfield Road. Albie Morgan scored both of the Tangerines' goals.
Blackpool were knocked out of the FA Cup on 17 January in the third-round replay against Nottingham Forest at Bloomfield Road. Forest went 2–0 up, but Blackpool fought back to level proceedings, and took the tie to extra time, during which the visitors scored a decisive third goal.
A third-consecutive league victory occurred on 20 January, a 2–1 scoreline at Bristol Rovers. CJ Hamilton and Karamoko Dembele got the goals for visitors, who remained in eighth position.
On 24 January, midfielder Kenny Dougall left the club for Buriram United for an undisclosed fee.
A 1–1 draw at home to Charlton Athletic on 27 January kept Blackpool in eighth place.
Three days later, Blackpool beat Bolton Wanderers, on penalties after a goalless draw, to reach the semi-final of the EFL Trophy.
On 31 January, midfielder Ryan Finnigan joined on a permanent transfer from Southampton, for an undisclosed fee. Tashan Oakley-Boothe, meanwhile, had his contract terminated by mutual consent.
February 1 February was transfer-deadline day, and Blackpool brought in two players (one permanent and one loan), and offloaded one. Centre-back Dan Sassi joined from Lancashire neighbours Burnley for an undisclosed fee, while midfielder George Byers signed on loan for from Sheffield Wednesday for the remainder of the season. Winger Owen Dale moved to Oxford United for an undisclosed fee.
On 3 February, Blackpool lost 1–0 at Stevenage, their seventh loss in fourteen away fixtures. Blackpool remained eighth, five places behind Oxford United.
Blackpool drew 1–1 with Oxford United on 10 February.