Stat Attack: Blackpool vs. Notts County, Saturday 12 November 2016

The first fixture between Blackpool and Notts took place on 28 November 1896 at Raikes Hall, and finished 3-2 to the Lancashire side.

A total of 57 games have taken place between the two sides, with Notts winning 19, Blackpool winning 23, and 15 draws.

The last fixture came on 3 April 2004 at Meadow Lane and it ended 4-1 to the Magpies.

Football had developed in Blackpool by 1877 when Victoria FC were founded as a church club with a ground in Caunce Street.

This team disbanded a few years later but some of its members are understood to have merged with old boys from St John's School to form a new club called Blackpool St John's.

But the two factions remained disunited and, on 26 July 1887, at a meeting in the Stanley Arms public house, the members resolved to wind up St John's and form a new club to represent the whole town called Blackpool Football Club.

Blackpool's most notable achievement is winning the 1953 FA Cup Final, the so-called "Matthews Final", in which they beat Bolton Wanderers 4–3, overturning a 1–3 deficit in the closing stages of the game.

During that post-war period, Blackpool made three FA Cup Final appearances in six years and, during the 1950s, had four top-six finishes in the Football League First Division, their best position being runners-up to Manchester United in the 1955–56 season.

In 1953, four Blackpool players were in the England team against Hungary at Wembley, causing the Daily Mirror to declare that "Blackpool are playing Hungary today", though England lost in a famous defeat.

Since the 1950s Blackpool's fortunes have varied, and when they won promotion to the Premier League, at the end of the 2009–10 campaign, Blackpool became the first club in English football to have won promotion from every division of the Football League via the play-off system.

Even though things seem pretty bad now, Blackpool's least successful period was officially in the 1980s, particularly when, in the 1982–83 season, they finished 21st in English League football's lowest tier, their lowest-ever League finish.

Team news

Blackpool are hoping Jamille Matt will be fit for their clash with Notts County after being forced off early against Kidderminster last weekend.

Teenager Bright Osayi-Samuel impressed in the midweek EFL Trophy victory over Everton and will hope to have played himself into contention.

Goalkeeper Dean Lyness and striker Jack Redshaw, meanwhile, remain sidelined.

Notts defender Richard Duffy is available in the league again after suspension while Adam Collin will resume in goal.

The likes of Jordan Richards, Michael O'Connor, Rob Milson, Alex Rodman and Jonathan Forte are also strong contenders for recalls.

Leading scorer Jon Stead is out with an ankle injury and is not expected back until around Christmas.

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