Rapids England Tour 2014: Blackpool vs Derby

After the excitement of the Charlton game last week, the group was eager to catch another match while in England. Our fearless leader, Michael, was able to secure us tickets to the Blackpool vs Derby game. We got there a bit early and explored around Pleasure Beach, which is a huge tourist area during the warmer months. As usual, the boys pulled out a soccer ball and played a small sided game on the boardwalk as we waited to go into the stadium. The parents enjoyed learning about the Blackpool High Tide Organ (pictured below) that is completely controlled and played by the tide. The game was at night, and being so close to the ocean made for a very cold game.

The match was an intense one, with Blackpool losing 3-1 on their home pitch, pushing them that much closer to relegation. The home fans turned their fury on owner Karl Oysten whose lack of investment in Blackpool's playing staff has enraged Blackpool fans. More than fifty police and stewardesses rushed to the corner of the stadium during the second half to head off a demonstration of over 200 Blackpool fans who spent most of the second half chanting, "We want Oysten out!" and "Sack the Board." Thankfully, the protests did not lead to violence, but was quite the site for our American group to see. Be sure to check out the video of the protest at the bottom of this post.