- 8 months ago
Ex-Blackpool midfielder David Vaughan reflects on his time with the Seasiders and shares what makes the 2009/10 squad unique.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00David, what was your first impressions when you arrived at Blackpool?
00:03Obviously, you've come home from Sociedad.
00:06So, was it a complete change of environment for yourself?
00:09Yeah, it was.
00:10Obviously, the facilities at the time weren't great.
00:14I think we had two stands, potentially, when I got there.
00:19But coming from Crewe, I knew what the situation was at Blackpool
00:23and what the facilities were like, really.
00:26So, it was just nice to get back to England,
00:28and have the opportunity to play again in the Championship
00:31and it was something I was looking forward to.
00:34Yeah, a lot of final players speak about Squiresgate and what it was like.
00:37Was it sort of, mate, do what you've got
00:39and just work as hard as you could to do your bit?
00:43Yeah, that was it, really.
00:45When I came over to sign, they didn't take me there.
00:48They just took me to the ground.
00:49So, that was one of the clever things I used to do.
00:53But I think the players who came in,
00:56and they sort of, it kind of gelled you together, really.
00:59The facilities, something to moan about together.
01:01But, you know, you just got on with it
01:03and it wasn't really a massive issue, really, to be honest.
01:06When you first arrived, what was Blackpool's target?
01:09Of course, they'd got up from League One the year before,
01:12in the Championship.
01:13You know, what was the ambition of the club at that point?
01:16I remember rightly, it was just to stay in the Championship, really.
01:19Obviously, not to be fighting relegation as such,
01:22but to try and be a mid-table type team
01:24and then sort of push on from there.
01:27But, yeah, things sort of escalated
01:29and went the other direction, which was great.
01:32Was that mentality change of pushing up the table,
01:36did that come as soon as Ian Holloway walked through a door
01:38or did it take a bit of time
01:39and did things just sort of steamroll
01:41and end up at that point?
01:44I think it probably came when he first came in.
01:46Obviously, we weren't expecting to do as well as what we did.
01:49But I think once you get a bit of momentum
01:51and you realise the team is doing well,
01:54players are playing well individually,
01:56you get that belief and it just sort of steamrolled, really.
01:59You know, you get a bit carried away with that momentum,
02:02like I said, and, you know, one thing leads to another.
02:06Was Holloway a proper man-motivator
02:08as well as, obviously, the tactical things he did?
02:12Yeah, definitely.
02:13I think it still is one of his strengths,
02:15I think his motivation and then tactically.
02:18At the time, I think he'd been around a few different clubs
02:21around Europe and picking up different things,
02:23which was fairly new to how we do English football,
02:27if you like,
02:28and then I think we sort of all picked it up quite quickly
02:31and gelled together as a team
02:32and I think it, obviously, as you can see from the results,
02:36it seemed to work well.
02:37Was there a real bond off the field?
02:40Obviously, you're all reuniting at the weekend
02:42for the Legends game,
02:43but was there a strong sort of relationships
02:45away from football?
02:47Yeah, definitely.
02:48I think of all the teams I played,
02:51I think Blackpool, that group of players,
02:53we sort of still keep together, keep in touch
02:55and, you know, I don't really speak to that many
02:58other teammates from different teams,
03:00so I think it was quite a unique sort of dressing room.
03:02A lot of the players lived in the area,
03:05so you're sort of socialised away from football
03:08and, you know, your families,
03:10well, your young families, a lot in common,
03:12so it was a special group, really.
03:16Yeah, we were a lot of strong characters,
03:17I know some, you know,
03:19have been there since 2007,
03:20some maybe before,
03:21and a couple of you had jumped along
03:23a bit later on in the ride.
03:24Yeah, there's a few players who've been there
03:27a little bit longer than me,
03:28obviously people like Keefe and Evo,
03:30and you've sort of seen the club progress
03:32and, you know, knew what the pitfalls were, really,
03:35but they sort of welcome you in.
03:38I think once they see what type of character you are
03:40and you sort of work hard
03:43and sort of work as a good team-mate,
03:45then, you know, they accept you into that group
03:47and, yeah, I think the characters
03:51that we had in the group were all blended in
03:53really well, yeah.
03:55So you had that run to get into the playoffs.
03:57When you got there,
03:58did you feel as if, you know,
03:59it was in your hands?
04:01Yeah, I think the belief that we had
04:02coming from results
04:04and obviously from the manager and things like that,
04:05I don't think we ever thought
04:06we were going to lose.
04:08You know, we just kept going,
04:11went the goal down, 2-1 down,
04:14it just never really seemed to impact us
04:15and phase us.
04:17That was one of the strong points of the team,
04:20the character that we could show in
04:22in the big games, really.
04:23Obviously, Blackpool's got that bit of history
04:25in the playoffs.
04:26I think before your time,
04:28it was three playoff wins
04:29and there have been a couple more since.
04:30So could you sort of feel
04:31that kind of feeling as well around the club?
04:34Yeah, there was no real pressure on us.
04:36The expectation wasn't like,
04:38we have to win this game.
04:39It was just sort of,
04:41you've done the club, the community,
04:43proud to go out there, enjoy it
04:45and, you know, play with a bit of freedom,
04:46which I think is a definite help
04:48in them type of situations.
04:50What was that day at Wembley like?
04:53Yeah, it was good.
04:55Very hot, as you can see from the pictures.
04:57But, yeah, you obviously all dream a lot
05:00playing in games like that
05:01and the atmosphere and the crowd was great.
05:04So, yeah, it's a special memory, really.
05:08What do you feel at that point
05:10that you were on the edge of something special?
05:12Like, you know, obviously,
05:13a historic thing in Blackpool's history.
05:15Was that playing in your minds
05:16or just purely thinking about Cardiff
05:18and what was ahead of you?
05:19No, not really.
05:21We just took it game by game,
05:23sort of,
05:24or
05:24sort of
05:26minute by minute,
05:27if you like.
05:27You just play the game,
05:28you react to the situation.
05:30Like I said before,
05:30there was no real pressure on us
05:32to get promoted.
05:34So, I think we were just enjoying the moment
05:37and the situation we were in
05:39and just seeing how far we could take it, really.
05:42That full-time whistle
05:43and obviously everything that came after.
05:44How good were those celebrations that night
05:46and beyond?
05:47Yeah, it was good.
05:48It was four or five good days
05:50that I can't remember too much about.
05:52But, yeah,
05:52obviously the open-top boss
05:55and things like that
05:56sort of stick in your mind.
05:57And, yeah,
05:58so it was just some good days.
06:00What was the ambition
06:01going to the Premier League?
06:02Was it just about,
06:03you know,
06:03be yourself
06:04and sort of
06:05leave your mark
06:06as best you could?
06:07Yeah, definitely.
06:08I don't think we ever set any targets.
06:10I thought we all
06:11thought we could
06:12compete at that level
06:14and, you know,
06:15put a good show of ourselves,
06:16which I think we did.
06:17And, you know,
06:18slightly unlucky to get
06:19relegated with the points
06:20that we managed to collect.
06:22But, yeah,
06:24it was just
06:24go out there and enjoy it.
06:25I think the belief
06:26that the manager showed in us
06:27was, like,
06:28you know,
06:28you're all good enough
06:29to play at this level.
06:30So, you know,
06:30you've got to go out
06:31and show that.
06:32Yeah, you took on
06:32some big teams
06:33and you shot some big teams
06:35during your 12 months
06:36in the top flight.
06:38Yeah, definitely.
06:39We, you know,
06:40we obviously did
06:41the double over Liverpool.
06:43Got some good results
06:44against, I think,
06:45Chelsea and,
06:46well,
06:46we lost to Chelsea
06:47but Tottenham
06:48and things like that.
06:48We, you know,
06:49we gave a good count
06:50ourselves.
06:51I think
06:51a bit naive at times
06:53or maybe could have
06:54sort of defended
06:56a little bit better
06:57and, you know,
06:58when you come against
06:58the top players,
06:59top teams,
07:00they sort of,
07:00they figure out,
07:01especially towards
07:02the end of the season.
07:03To go down on 39 points
07:05and I know probably,
07:07you know,
07:0810, 15 years ago
07:08maybe the bar was higher
07:10to stay up
07:11than it has been
07:12in recent years
07:13but how gut-wetching
07:14is it to get
07:15such a high total
07:16and to go down?
07:17Yeah,
07:18yeah,
07:18it was,
07:19at the time,
07:20obviously,
07:20you're all disappointed
07:21and,
07:22you know,
07:22a bit devastated
07:23with how it all
07:24ended but,
07:25yeah,
07:27looking back
07:27now and seeing
07:28other teams
07:29staying up
07:29with less points
07:30it's a bit frustrating
07:31but,
07:32you know,
07:32that's the life
07:33of football sometimes.
07:34I know a few people
07:36who was involved
07:37and I spoke to Tom
07:38Owen,
07:38Keith Sutherland
07:38and they said,
07:40you know,
07:40they wish,
07:40could have maybe left
07:41that bit more
07:41of a mark
07:42in the Premier League
07:42if they could have
07:43got that other year
07:44then it could have
07:45been completely
07:45different for Blackpool.
07:46Yeah,
07:47definitely,
07:48I think,
07:49had we maybe invested
07:50a little bit more
07:51or just been able
07:53to hang in there
07:54and have a season
07:55could have invested
07:55a bit more
07:56in the squad
07:57and facilities,
07:58I think it would have
07:58helped everyone
08:00and not seen
08:02such a drastic
08:02sort of fall
08:03and then obviously
08:04on the way back up now
08:05but it's,
08:06you know,
08:06there's not much
08:08to show from,
08:09you know,
08:09the achievements
08:10that we did at the time
08:11so that's a bit
08:12of a disappointment
08:13to be honest.
08:15Obviously,
08:15you departed Blackpool
08:16at the end of the
08:16Premier League season.
08:17Did that rise
08:18and obviously
08:19that year in the top flight
08:20just give you the confidence
08:21and give you the ambition
08:22that you wanted to stay
08:23in the Premier League
08:25and play there
08:25for as long as you could?
08:28Yeah,
08:28definitely.
08:29It was a tough decision
08:30to leave really.
08:30I was close to signing
08:32the new deal
08:33on a couple of occasions
08:33but it just didn't
08:34quite work out.
08:36But once you get a taste
08:38of the Premier League
08:38you want to try and stay
08:39in there as long
08:40as you can really
08:40and I managed to do that
08:42for a couple of years
08:42after but yeah,
08:44it's a tough level
08:45to play in
08:46and it's quite ruthless
08:47but it's really enjoyable.
08:50Before you joined Blackpool,
08:51you know,
08:51obviously everyone wants
08:52to play in the Premier League
08:53but did you think
08:53that was a target
08:55for yourself?
08:56Did you think
08:56I could do that
08:57year on year
08:57playing the top flight?
08:59Probably not
09:00if I'm honest.
09:01You know,
09:01once I got a bit
09:04more belief
09:04from how I was playing
09:06and how the team
09:07was playing
09:07and obviously
09:08the feedback you get
09:09from coaches
09:10and managers
09:10you have that
09:12sort of ambition
09:12to get there
09:13but you've never
09:15really know
09:15if you are good enough
09:16to play at that level
09:17until you're there
09:18and you're up against
09:19the top players
09:20so once you've done
09:21that a few times
09:22then you start to
09:22grow in belief
09:23and confidence really.
09:26Blackpool did set you up
09:27well of course
09:28with Sutherland
09:28you played in some
09:29huge games
09:29involved in some
09:30huge moments
09:30and then obviously
09:32a big team like
09:32Forest as well
09:33came after
09:33so do you think
09:35you go back to that
09:36and think I owe
09:36that period a lot
09:38for it to set you up
09:39for your career?
09:40Yeah definitely
09:41had I not
09:42got to the Premier League
09:44with Blackpool
09:44I don't think
09:44I would have ever
09:45played there
09:46unless I got promoted
09:48with another team
09:48but I don't think
09:50it was many Premier League
09:51clubs who would have
09:52wanted me
09:52or bought me
09:53at the time
09:53so yeah
09:54looking back on it
09:56I've got obviously
09:57come through the
09:58Crew Academy
09:59and all the work
10:01I did there
10:01and all the coaching
10:02I got there
10:02was a big help
10:04and then I think
10:04just that platform
10:05at Blackpool
10:06to get to that level
10:08was also another
10:09key moment
10:09in my career.
10:11What's it going to be
10:12like to step out
10:13of Bloomfield again?
10:14Are the memories
10:14going to come
10:15flooding back?
10:16Yeah
10:17I'm looking forward
10:18to it
10:18I can't remember
10:19I think I went back
10:21once with Forest
10:22maybe
10:22but other than that
10:23I don't think
10:24I've been back
10:24to play
10:25so yeah
10:26it'll be nice
10:27to get out on the pitch
10:29see some familiar
10:30surroundings hopefully.
10:32Do you imagine
10:33it's going to be a bit
10:33like no time has passed
10:34at all
10:35with some of the lads
10:35who obviously
10:36you might not have seen
10:37but you've caught up
10:38with a few times?
10:40Yeah
10:40I think I've seen
10:42a few over the years
10:43and it's like
10:43you only saw them yesterday
10:45so nothing really changes
10:46so that's a good thing
10:48so it's been nice
10:49to catch up with
10:49a few I haven't seen
10:50so much of
10:51and yeah
10:52it'll just be probably
10:53going back 10-15 years
10:55quite quickly.
10:57And just to finish on
10:58yourself and what you're
10:59doing now
10:59obviously you're back
10:59at Crewe
11:00doing the youth coaching
11:01so yeah
11:02it's a full circle moment
11:03how much
11:04are you enjoying
11:05sort of
11:05the new side of football
11:07that you're seeing?
11:08Yeah it's been good
11:09I really enjoy the coaching
11:10and the games
11:11with the younger players
11:12and trying to help them
11:13and guide them
11:14and trying
11:15sort of
11:17teach them
11:18what I've learnt
11:18through my career
11:19so it's been
11:21a good experience
11:21it takes a bit
11:22of getting used to
11:23but yeah
11:23I've enjoyed it.
11:25Do you have any
11:26long-term coach ambitions?
11:27Would you like to move up
11:28to senior football
11:28at some point
11:29or just taking it
11:29day by day?
11:31It's better both
11:31I would eventually
11:32like to get into
11:34senior football
11:34but yeah
11:35it's just
11:36see what opportunities
11:37come along
11:37but I'm quite happy
11:38just helping out
11:39our crew
11:40and doing the
11:40new ones
11:42and seeing them
11:43progress
11:43and getting
11:44in and around
11:44our first team
11:45Any new David Vons
11:47coming along?
11:49Hopefully
11:50one or two
11:50but yeah
11:52it's a bit of a
11:54challenging process
11:55for a crew
11:56so it's a small team
11:57but you know
11:58we've got some
11:59ambitions
11:59for one or two
12:00of them yeah
12:00Thank you
Be the first to comment