:00:30. > :00:35.After days of anticipation and nervous tension, the big day has
:00:35. > :00:38.finally arrived. We are delighted to announce tonight that The
:00:38. > :00:41.Football League Show is to continue on the BBC for the next three
:00:42. > :00:45.seasons, we have secured a new deal to start from August. But the real
:00:45. > :00:50.reason we're here is to reflect on a monumental day in the
:00:50. > :00:54.Championship, as Blackpool and West Ham contested one of the most
:00:54. > :01:04.lucrative games in English football. Despite missing out on automatic
:01:04. > :01:04.
:01:04. > :01:14.promotion, West Ham comfortably beat Cardiff. And Sam Allardyce's
:01:14. > :01:19.side were not in the mood to let it slip back at Upton Park. No doubt
:01:19. > :01:29.about it, the Hammers meant business. Blackpool of course have
:01:29. > :01:34.
:01:34. > :01:39.a wonderful play-off record. And they held firm against Birmingham.
:01:39. > :01:43.They were off to Wembley, hopefully all the way to the Premier League.
:01:43. > :01:47.A simply massive game for both teams, who are looking for an
:01:47. > :01:52.immediate return to the top flight, and the huge financial rewards that
:01:52. > :01:57.go with it. I am joined by a man who knows what it is like to score
:01:57. > :02:02.the winner in this match, someone who has had plenty of success down
:02:02. > :02:07.the years, Steve Claridge. It is the most dramatic way to get to the
:02:07. > :02:17.Premier League, and the most heartbreaking way to miss out. Your
:02:17. > :02:19.
:02:19. > :02:23.commentary team, Mark Bright and of a draining campaign, and it has
:02:23. > :02:28.all come down to one day of destiny. Both clubs have experienced this
:02:28. > :02:31.before, but only one will be able to claim the golden ticket.
:02:31. > :02:37.Blackballed include four of the team that beat Cardiff here two
:02:37. > :02:46.years ago. It would have been five, but Gary Taylor-Fletcher has failed
:02:46. > :02:49.a fitness test on an ankle injury. Kevin Phillips starts in his place.
:02:49. > :02:54.For West Ham, Jack Collison has recovered from a dislocated
:02:54. > :03:04.shoulder. They are led by Kevin Nolan, who was with Sam Allardyce
:03:04. > :03:04.
:03:04. > :03:10.in this final 11 years ago, to lead Bolton into the top flight. So, it
:03:10. > :03:20.is west Ham have get us under way. These two separated by 11 points in
:03:20. > :03:20.
:03:20. > :03:23.the regular season. West Ham won both league meetings. Which one of
:03:23. > :03:30.these two teams will be going straight back to the Premier
:03:30. > :03:40.League? West Ham immediately on the front foot with Kevin Nolan. A
:03:40. > :03:54.
:03:54. > :04:04.Gary Taylor-Fletcher. But it is a great opportunity for Kevin
:04:04. > :04:39.
:04:39. > :04:45.the ball. That was a mistake, what a moment that was full stop the
:04:45. > :04:55.most relieved man is Matt Taylor. He tries to chest it back to the
:04:55. > :05:10.
:05:10. > :05:15.goalkeeper, but it was a great save Ricardo Vaz Te. Still going, Vaz Te.
:05:15. > :05:25.He was just off balance at the all- important moment. That was the
:05:25. > :05:37.
:05:37. > :05:41.first time he has had the ball at the way they have started. Phillips
:05:42. > :05:48.has gone for the return, Matt Phillips! He could not generate
:05:48. > :05:52.enough power to trouble Robert Green. Great link-up play. Now, he
:05:52. > :05:58.takes a touch - take another touch and get it out of your feet! You
:05:58. > :06:05.could see what he was trying to do, but he got it between his feet.
:06:05. > :06:13.Phillips again! It is still Matt Phillips! And he still cannot find
:06:13. > :06:18.a way through for Blackpool. And Demel is the most relieved man in
:06:18. > :06:28.the stadium. There's he missed times it, and then he has not got
:06:28. > :06:55.
:06:55. > :07:00.enough time to recover. Awful Carlton Cole, and into the side-
:07:00. > :07:10.netting by Ricardo Vaz Te! That's the best we have seen from West Ham
:07:10. > :07:11.
:07:12. > :07:21.so far. This is an excellent pass to Ricardo Vaz Te. It is a tight
:07:22. > :07:52.
:07:52. > :07:58.defending very well, getting header came from Carlton Cole, over
:07:58. > :08:08.the crossbar. Great ball in. Blackpool, sitting a little bit
:08:08. > :08:32.
:08:32. > :08:38.deeper. Carlton just gets in front Gilks did not get there! It is
:08:38. > :08:47.another corner to West Ham. There is a lot of pace on the ball.
:08:47. > :08:51.Goalkeeper comes for it, nowhere near. Both managers pointed to the
:08:51. > :08:58.importance of set pieces before the game, and here's another one for
:08:58. > :09:02.West Ham, third in a row. What you need is a quality ball in, and that
:09:02. > :09:12.is what West Ham have provided so far from both sides. Do not foul
:09:12. > :09:16.
:09:16. > :09:24.just over half an hour gone, the deadlock still to be broken. Headed
:09:24. > :09:29.away by Kevin Phillips, on the edge of his own six-yard box. That's
:09:29. > :09:39.blocked by Ince, and it is another West Ham corner. Good pressure by
:09:39. > :10:07.
:10:08. > :10:13.West Ham. Blackpool have to weather the end. But it was Tomkins who
:10:13. > :10:23.headed this one back. He kept his eye on it, when we thought it was
:10:23. > :11:01.
:11:01. > :11:10.going out, he recovered it. There needs some support. It has come to
:11:10. > :11:17.Taylor. He gets it back again. Carlton Cole! West Ham's leading
:11:17. > :11:24.scorer scores at Wembley in the final! First blood to the Hammers.
:11:24. > :11:30.Well, the stadium is absolutely rocking. We talk about the early
:11:30. > :11:35.chances that Blackpool had. Is this a foul? I think it is. From that,
:11:35. > :11:39.they go and score. Good counter- attack, but you have to say, I
:11:40. > :11:46.think Blackpool are unhappy with that decision. Good touch from
:11:46. > :11:51.Carlton Cole, and an emphatic finish. That's the difference.
:11:51. > :11:56.Blackpool have had two good opportunities and wasted them.
:11:56. > :12:06.different emotions in those technical areas. That's what it
:12:06. > :12:18.
:12:18. > :12:24.means to this lot, and you could found him! What an opportunity that
:12:24. > :12:32.was for Vaz Te. He could not take it! Great movement from Vaz Te. He
:12:32. > :12:42.comes up short then pulls off. I don't know why he shoots from there.
:12:42. > :12:58.
:12:58. > :13:08.But even if he is shooting on his little bit of experience used by
:13:08. > :13:14.
:13:14. > :13:20.Kevin Phillips there. Can Blackpool reply before the break? Cleared
:13:20. > :13:24.only as far as Martinez, who got right underneath the volley. He has
:13:24. > :13:31.only scored one goal might in his first season in English football,
:13:31. > :13:41.and he was not close to doubling it there. Is there time for black ball
:13:41. > :13:52.
:13:52. > :13:57.to get forward one more time before time whistle. And there it is, from
:13:57. > :14:07.Howard Webb. West Ham leading, courtesy of Carlton Cole's goal,
:14:07. > :14:19.
:14:19. > :14:28.his 15th of the season. Blackpool season, and it is up to Blackpool
:14:28. > :14:38.to come from behind in this one. No changes from either side at half-
:14:38. > :14:46.
:14:46. > :14:52.time. That was a foul by Alex half-time? If we can do the same at
:14:52. > :15:02.the start of the second-half, we are back in it. Taylor's free-kick.
:15:02. > :15:09.
:15:09. > :15:19.The man who provided the ball for He tried to stop himself from doing
:15:19. > :15:20.
:15:20. > :15:30.it. Gary tail or Halifax Fletcher can only look on -- Taylor-Fletcher
:15:30. > :15:45.
:15:45. > :15:51.can only look on. An injury rules found him. It's Tom Ince Ince! 1-1.
:15:51. > :15:56.The former West Ham player, levels it at Wembley on his fifth year
:15:56. > :16:03.career appearance. Inside three minutes of the second-half, Tom
:16:03. > :16:10.Ince Ince for Blackpool. Carlton Cole gives the ball away. This is a
:16:10. > :16:14.fantastic ball here. He allows the ball to drop. A nice little caress
:16:14. > :16:22.across the goalkeeper. Doesn't need any power. Excellent finish, back
:16:22. > :16:32.in the game. Look at the reaction of the two managers. Sam Allardyce
:16:32. > :16:34.
:16:34. > :16:39.can't believe it. It's a long pass, a straight pass. That gives
:16:39. > :16:47.everybody, the players and the fans a few lift. After conceding that
:16:47. > :16:53.goal they went flat. They stopped passing the ball, lost their rhythm.
:16:53. > :17:02.The man who was fouled got his team back in the game. He has got them
:17:02. > :17:12.back to believing again. That is a dream start to the second-half for
:17:12. > :17:13.
:17:13. > :17:21.Ian Holloway and Blackpool. Baptiste wants it back. It's Alex
:17:21. > :17:26.Baptiste. It's cleared away by Taylor. Incredible. He won the ball
:17:26. > :17:31.and continued his run forward. An excellent pass from Kevin Phillips.
:17:31. > :17:41.The ball wouldn't come down for him, would it? He was unlucky. Phillips
:17:41. > :17:42.
:17:42. > :17:52.to take the corner, off the head of Carlton Cole. Rob Green wanted that.
:17:52. > :18:17.
:18:17. > :18:27.Blackpool's way now. They are keeping possession, back in the
:18:27. > :18:39.
:18:39. > :18:45.What a good challenge by Reid to deny Dobbie. I'm really surprised.
:18:45. > :18:50.He knows how to finish. Was he offside? No, he's not. Great
:18:50. > :18:56.decision. There was space in front of him he could of got a shot in.
:18:56. > :19:01.Green has come from the corner. He it is a taken it cleanly. Baptiste
:19:01. > :19:05.was the one here? He starts the play here. Look at the space.
:19:05. > :19:14.Phillips has come short. Continues his run between the centre-backs.
:19:14. > :19:23.That ball there, I'm thinking stoop and head it. He said his team were
:19:23. > :19:33.a dead duck last summer, no-one gave them a chance. He's got his
:19:33. > :19:57.
:19:57. > :20:01.again. Taylor's cross! In went Collison, who might just have
:20:01. > :20:06.fallen on the shoulder he dislocated in stretching for this.
:20:06. > :20:16.He is up on his feet now. He gets into that near-post and lands
:20:16. > :20:23.
:20:23. > :20:30.he pulled it back. Taylor. Collison is back on his feet. The offside
:20:30. > :20:35.flag is up. The opportunity is gone. Vaz Te didn't do Collison any
:20:35. > :20:41.favours with that pass. Excellent play. He draws the challenge.
:20:41. > :20:47.Manages to poke the ball wide. Here is a good ball. Look where he puts
:20:47. > :20:53.it. He puts it past his right foot, on to his left, he's slipping.
:20:53. > :20:59.Awful play. Last time Blackpool lost a play-off game, Sam Allardyce
:20:59. > :21:04.was the manager. 18 years ago against Bradford. It cost him his
:21:04. > :21:14.first job in English football. He hasn't lost in a play-off campaign
:21:14. > :21:24.since. I think he has proved himself since then. Into Carlton
:21:24. > :21:25.
:21:25. > :21:35.Cole. Good save by Gilks and away by Eardley. The first touch is
:21:35. > :21:37.
:21:37. > :21:47.excellent. Good ball in. Well watched by Reid. Phillips. Matt
:21:47. > :21:48.
:21:48. > :21:56.Phillips had a swing. Off that left wing. Here's Dobbie, Phillips, this
:21:56. > :22:04.is a crossing opportunity for Blackpool. Three in the penalty
:22:04. > :22:09.area. Who will it come to? Dobbie. The man who started. It he complete
:22:09. > :22:15.miss kicks it. Excellent play. Cut it back perfect. Here, Dobbie, he
:22:15. > :22:25.is on the penalty spot. He only had to caress it in. He misses it
:22:25. > :22:36.
:22:36. > :22:40.completely. They have had some Still Dobbie. Shot deflected for a
:22:41. > :22:45.Blackpool corner. Tomkins got caught completely out of position
:22:45. > :22:52.there. He's asking a couple of questions there. He might be
:22:52. > :23:02.talking to Howard Webb, I think he is. He thinks he was fouled. Ince
:23:02. > :23:03.
:23:03. > :23:07.with a corner. Away by Noble, driven over by Baptiste. Do you
:23:07. > :23:14.have a man on the post, or don't you? On the far right you can just
:23:14. > :23:21.see Mark Noble in position, he saves the day. Done ever so well
:23:21. > :23:30.for his age, Kevin Phillips, substituted now. Sylvestre is on
:23:30. > :23:35.for the last 20 minutes. Kevin Phillips, who has never won at
:23:35. > :23:45.Wembley he can only look on to see how it will end today with
:23:45. > :23:47.
:23:47. > :23:51.Blackpool. Dobbie went for goal. He scored here 12 months ago, to help
:23:51. > :24:01.Swansea to the Premier League, trying to give Blackpool the lead.
:24:01. > :24:12.
:24:12. > :24:17.As you saw there, behind the goal, corner. Kicked away by Taylor. Such
:24:17. > :24:27.a long hard season. These players have to dig deep for 15 more big
:24:27. > :24:34.
:24:34. > :24:39.minutes. Carlton Cole, lovely -- lovely control. Collison. He went
:24:39. > :24:43.for goal, Collison. He couldn't keep it down. Decent play. Good
:24:43. > :24:53.play from Carlton Cole, Collison won the ball, waited. Good support
:24:53. > :25:08.
:25:08. > :25:13.play. It opens up. He can do. This to aim for. Totally unmarked! It
:25:13. > :25:18.was the captain, Kevin Nolan cannot believe it. He thought that was the
:25:18. > :25:25.moment. Great play from McCartney. He started the move. Great clip. I
:25:25. > :25:31.think it's tipped. I think he saves it on to the bar, Gilks. Yes, what
:25:31. > :25:39.a touch! They thought that was the moment too. They did it 11 years
:25:39. > :25:45.ago, with Sam Allardyce, with Bolton. Free-kick to Blackpool.
:25:45. > :25:55.should have waited just a second there. That ball was in Blackpool's
:25:55. > :26:01.
:26:01. > :26:11.possession. He's standing right in front of Rob Green. Webb hasn't got
:26:11. > :26:12.
:26:12. > :26:19.a problem with. It here's Dobbie. Held by Green. A little touch, out
:26:19. > :26:29.it comes in line with the ball. Straight down the throat. Five
:26:29. > :26:42.
:26:42. > :26:46.minutes to go. Carlton Cole. That's players know that one slip. Yes.
:26:46. > :26:50.That is why you have to reinforce that concentration, concentrate,
:26:50. > :26:56.focus. Stick with your man. No free headers. All those things you do
:26:56. > :27:02.all the time in training. Lifted in from Noble. In came from the header.
:27:02. > :27:09.The one from Tompkins looked over the crossbar. He is stretching.
:27:09. > :27:14.That is the best he can do. Everybody is looking for that knock
:27:14. > :27:22.back. Vaz Te is there. Nolan is there. Don't get drawn towards the
:27:22. > :27:27.ball. Which one of these two will be in the Premier League next
:27:27. > :27:37.season. Nolan the captain. It might come to Carlton Cole. Gilks. Vaz
:27:37. > :27:47.
:27:47. > :27:53.West Ham United back in the big time. Absolutely incredible. Well,
:27:53. > :27:57.he will get a card for taking his shirt off. This is missed by
:27:57. > :28:02.everybody. Carlton Cole does well. He gets a toe on it. Vase tai's
:28:02. > :28:09.goals have been so important for them, since he arrived from
:28:09. > :28:17.Barnsley. That's a crucial finish. His 12th goal since arriving in
:28:17. > :28:22.January to be reunited with Sam Allardyce. That could be the golden
:28:22. > :28:27.goal for West Ham United. You know, Blackpool have a chance. They have
:28:27. > :28:31.to go for. It they've had some great opportunities. They've had
:28:31. > :28:35.some great opportunities. On reflection, talk about being
:28:35. > :28:44.unlucky, they missed those chances. In a game like this, you can't
:28:44. > :28:50.afford to miss chances. This game has been a rollercoaster for Sam
:28:50. > :28:56.Allardyce. 90 seconds of the 90 minutes left. It almost came to
:28:56. > :29:00.Martinez at the back post. This is Eardley. That should be Green's to
:29:00. > :29:05.miss. Well, it's just hard to explain it. The atmosphere around
:29:05. > :29:15.you, and the roar when that ball went in from Vaz Te. It's out of
:29:15. > :29:29.
:29:29. > :29:38.stoppage time. Kevin Nolan is absolutely roasting Taylor for what
:29:38. > :29:43.he did there. 47 years to the day since West Ham beat 1860 Munich to
:29:43. > :29:50.win the Cup Winners' Cup here at Wembley. As we head into stoppage
:29:50. > :29:55.time. Blackpool have given a good account of themselves, but at this
:29:55. > :29:58.stage of the season, after everything you have done, the
:29:58. > :30:03.opportunities they have had and not taken, that has been the difference
:30:03. > :30:08.between these two teams. They have played some excellent football and
:30:08. > :30:18.controlled large parts of this game, but you have to say, West Ham have
:30:18. > :30:22.
:30:23. > :30:32.been ruthless in front of goal. Howard Webb waves away claims for a
:30:33. > :30:38.
:30:38. > :30:41.foul. You can see here, just a little touch. It is a hard place to
:30:41. > :30:45.come and lose, especially after such a long, hard season. No
:30:45. > :30:51.disgrace losing to this West Ham team, they have got a lot of
:30:51. > :30:57.experience. Mission accomplished! Sam Allardyce has led West Ham
:30:57. > :31:03.united back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.
:31:03. > :31:09.Ricardo Vaz Te's dramatic late winner was the golden goal for the
:31:09. > :31:15.golden ticket. They have done it the hard way, they have done it in
:31:15. > :31:19.the most dramatic way, but West Ham are back in the big time.
:31:19. > :31:29.MARK BRIGHT: Congratulations to West Ham. It has been a long, hard
:31:29. > :31:34.season, but for Blackpool, it is heartbreak. Gary Taylor-Fletcher
:31:34. > :31:38.missing this game, what a great shame for them. But the difference
:31:38. > :31:48.between the two team's is that West Ham took their chances and black
:31:48. > :31:51.
:31:51. > :31:58.ball didn't. Local boy, longest serving player, relegations,
:31:58. > :32:03.promotions, discuss... Fantastic. The boys have worked so hard all
:32:03. > :32:10.year. We were favourites to go up but it did not work out like that,
:32:10. > :32:15.we drew too many games. But this is amazing. It is frightening.
:32:15. > :32:19.does this compare with a couple of years ago? This is probably better
:32:19. > :32:24.because of the pressure we were under this season, dropping down
:32:24. > :32:29.and everything. It is one of the best days. Up there I have got my
:32:30. > :32:33.family, my wife and everyone, didn't just delighted. Ricardo Vaz
:32:33. > :32:37.Te - How does it feel to have scored the goal to take West Ham
:32:38. > :32:42.back into the Premier League? tremendous, in front of these
:32:42. > :32:52.amazing fans, it is amazing to be here. To get the goal, it is a
:32:52. > :32:52.
:32:52. > :33:02.bonus. It could not get any better. I had the opportunity, I have done
:33:02. > :33:04.
:33:04. > :33:11.it. So, here comes Kevin Nolan to lead West Ham up the 107 steps at
:33:11. > :33:17.the new Wembley Stadium to the royal box. It is a walk that feels
:33:17. > :33:25.fantastic as a winner, particularly when the prize is a return to the
:33:25. > :33:31.top flight of football. In his first season, he has done exactly
:33:31. > :33:40.what he did at Newcastle, make an immediate return to the top flight
:33:40. > :33:48.at the first time of asking. So, Kevin Nolan leads West Ham united
:33:48. > :33:54.up to the royal box. He will receive the trophy which is West
:33:54. > :34:01.Ham's passport back into the Premier League. They have had to
:34:01. > :34:06.deal with the expectation. It took 49 games, but in 91 days' time,
:34:06. > :34:13.they will begin another Premier League season! They have got back
:34:13. > :34:20.there at the first time of asking. It will be a 56th season in the top
:34:20. > :34:27.flight for West Ham United. As the teachers say, nothing beats being
:34:27. > :34:31.back. -- as the T-shirts say. Sam Allardyce, the man who was given
:34:31. > :34:36.the challenge of taking West Ham straight back up by David Gold and
:34:36. > :34:43.David Sullivan, and it took until the last five minutes of the 49th
:34:43. > :34:49.game that he finally delivered it. I have seen you looking better,
:34:49. > :34:56.mate, it is not necessarily your style. Great atmosphere, great day,
:34:56. > :34:59.great fans, great team. We put in the performance that we needed.
:34:59. > :35:04.Blackpool came and set their stall out, they were really good, but we
:35:04. > :35:09.just had enough to beat them. has been quite a season, but it is
:35:09. > :35:13.now mission accomplished. We are back in the Premiership, where this
:35:13. > :35:17.great football club deserves to be. Everybody has worked hard. I have
:35:18. > :35:23.got to pay tribute to David Sullivan, Karren Brady, Sam
:35:23. > :35:28.Allardyce, the players, and I did a bit as well. You have been at this
:35:28. > :35:32.club for two thirds of your life, so what does this mean? You can see
:35:32. > :35:36.around the place, it is just unbelievable. The players, the
:35:36. > :35:43.staff, the whole club. It is something special to come to
:35:43. > :35:49.Wembley and win. I have never met such a handsome centre half, but
:35:49. > :35:57.what a player. But that is a bad thing, isn't it? No, it is not, not
:35:57. > :36:02.the way he plays. Are you drained? Feeling drained, totally. You could
:36:02. > :36:05.have tossed a coin which way this was going to go today. With all the
:36:06. > :36:08.pressure being on us, the last thing I wanted was for the lads to
:36:08. > :36:13.thing I wanted was for the lads to let themselves down today. In the
:36:13. > :36:19.end they came up trumps. I cannot imagine the desolation you must be
:36:19. > :36:26.feeling right now. Such is life, I'm afraid. I feel for the lads
:36:26. > :36:30.more than myself. They were to a man fantastic, apart from taking
:36:30. > :36:35.one or two of the chances that we created. All you can ask is the
:36:35. > :36:40.effort, all you can give them is some advice, and boy, did they take
:36:40. > :36:43.it on at half-time? I'm sure there will be lots of things when we look
:36:43. > :36:47.at the stats which show that we have improved again. We needed to,
:36:47. > :36:53.we played a very good team, and I thought we looked a very good team.
:36:53. > :36:59.I am pretty proud, really, to be perfectly blunt with you.
:36:59. > :37:04.margins are so fine. It could have gone the other way. It could. We
:37:04. > :37:08.knew it would not be as easy as people thought. Blackpool have had
:37:08. > :37:12.the experience here before, which showed in the early part of the
:37:12. > :37:15.game. But at the end of the day, it is about converting your chances.
:37:15. > :37:22.We converted one more than Blackpool, so we are where we
:37:22. > :37:27.should be. Over the season I don't think anybody could argue. It is
:37:27. > :37:31.just a great end to what has been a great season. Congratulations to
:37:31. > :37:35.West Ham, back in the top flight after one season out. Steve, West
:37:35. > :37:40.Ham, second best for a good part of the contest, but they will not be
:37:40. > :37:45.dwelling on that for too long tonight. Certainly the first 15
:37:45. > :37:50.minutes of each half, certainly in the first half, and conceding early
:37:50. > :37:53.in the second half. After they got to grips with it, the last half-an-
:37:53. > :37:59.hour of the first half, probably controlled the game. The second
:37:59. > :38:06.half was very even, could have gone either way. You know all about late
:38:06. > :38:08.play-off winners, it is all about taking your chance. Yes, we all
:38:08. > :38:12.realised there would be opportunities in this game, and
:38:12. > :38:19.that was the case. I don't think we thought it would go right to the
:38:19. > :38:27.wire like this, he has almost done too much with it. But if you have a
:38:27. > :38:32.look at it, Baptiste falls down, Crainey falls down. But it was a
:38:32. > :38:37.great touch. And Vaz Te he has an awful lot to do with it. I was
:38:37. > :38:41.looking at it from behind the goal, and he only just gets it in, but it
:38:41. > :38:47.is the winner, and it is a great feeling. What a great signing he
:38:47. > :38:53.has turned out to be. Managers like to trust what they have known
:38:53. > :38:59.before. Obviously, Sam Allardyce had him at Bolton. He went to
:38:59. > :39:04.Barnsley after that. And he went overseas for a while. Yes, but he
:39:04. > :39:08.has come back to Sam Allardyce and he has paid him back. Let's be
:39:08. > :39:15.honest, this is absolutely fantastic, the old saying about
:39:15. > :39:22.putting it on a sixpence, that's exactly what Matt Taylor does here.
:39:22. > :39:31.He completely takes Evatt out of the game. Was this a foul in the
:39:32. > :39:37.build up? Well, he gets a little bit of luck. The ball rebounds back
:39:37. > :39:42.to him, and Carlton Cole, that little bit of pace, keeps the ball,
:39:42. > :39:47.gets his body between Evatt and the ball, and his touch gives him the
:39:47. > :39:52.angle to shoot across goal. This is Blackpool's goal, and it was quite
:39:52. > :39:57.similar. Yes, Carlton Cole scores the goal for West Ham and then
:39:57. > :40:04.gives the ball away, and then he can only stand and watch as
:40:04. > :40:08.Phillips picks out a tremendous ball. And then, Ince knows that all
:40:08. > :40:14.he needs is a connection, it does not have to be a great connection,
:40:14. > :40:18.it is all about where he directs the ball. He is cool and calm and
:40:18. > :40:23.he sticks it in the back of the net. If you look at that, Robert Green
:40:23. > :40:28.gets nowhere near it. Blackpool will be to -- live themselves
:40:28. > :40:32.considering the amount of chances they had. Especially in the first
:40:32. > :40:36.half, this was an excellent opportunity. This one, I'm not sure
:40:36. > :40:40.that Phillips actually believes he can get past the goalkeeper. He
:40:40. > :40:45.goes past the defender, but it was a poor finish. And this one, this
:40:45. > :40:51.was probably the best of the lot, he has just got to keep his nerve.
:40:51. > :40:55.And this one, Baptiste, surely have gone with his head? I don't know,
:40:55. > :41:03.I'm not sure you can do that. This was the one where everybody sat
:41:03. > :41:08.back and thought, Stephen Dobbie, a great technician, you would expect
:41:08. > :41:12.him at least to hit the target and probably to score. That was a
:41:12. > :41:17.massive surprise for everyone. When you look at it, he had his head in
:41:17. > :41:20.his hands, he knew it was a great chance for someone with his ability.
:41:21. > :41:25.For Sam Allardyce, it is very much a job done. But he put pressure on
:41:25. > :41:30.himself at the start of the season, saying, we are going to go up. He
:41:30. > :41:35.had very little room for error. and one thing you can say, Sam
:41:35. > :41:39.Allardyce had a major part to play in this game because his tactical
:41:39. > :41:43.change in the second half, taking off Gary O'Neil and changing the
:41:43. > :41:47.formation, putting Vaz Te up front, I thought that was an excellent
:41:47. > :41:51.move, because at that stage, they were wobbling. They were looking
:41:51. > :41:55.like they could concede at any moment. But after that it became a
:41:55. > :41:58.very even contest. We have talk about him playing one up front,
:41:58. > :42:02.being a little bit negative this season, but he was anything but
:42:02. > :42:07.that today. He got his rewards for being positive. As for Ian Holloway,
:42:07. > :42:11.he started the season talking about a Premier League hangover, but he
:42:11. > :42:19.will have to dust himself down and go again, will it be even harder
:42:19. > :42:27.this time? I think so. I think the players had a bit of a slow start
:42:27. > :42:31.this season. But this, for me, will be far harder. This is a massive,
:42:31. > :42:36.massive disappointment. When you win these games, it is difficult
:42:36. > :42:42.instantly to celebrate, it is more a sense of relief. But for the
:42:42. > :42:49.people who have lost, you look back at 48 games, counting for
:42:49. > :42:54.absolutely nothing, we are back where we started, albeit a great
:42:54. > :42:59.effort by everybody involved. But it is back where you started. So,
:42:59. > :43:04.it is a huge disappointment. It is one which, after last year, to pick
:43:04. > :43:07.themselves up again, he might just have to freshen it up a bit and
:43:07. > :43:13.move a couple in and out. Commiserations to Blackpool, well
:43:13. > :43:17.done again for West Ham. It's certainly whets the appetite for
:43:17. > :43:23.the other play-off finals. Huddersfield against Sheffield
:43:23. > :43:27.United and Cheltenham against Crewe - How do you see these going?
:43:28. > :43:31.if they are half as good as today...! Huddersfield and
:43:31. > :43:36.Sheffield united, two fantastic sides, with massive support. Nobody
:43:36. > :43:41.can begrudge them getting there. And obviously, Cheltenham have had
:43:41. > :43:46.a wonderful year, and a late charge for Crewe. They have played the way
:43:46. > :43:53.we expected, so that is and other fantastic game in prospect. And you
:43:53. > :43:58.can see highlights of both of those play-off finals next Sunday. That's
:43:58. > :44:02.almost it from us. Don't forget, you can see tonight's show on the
:44:02. > :44:09.iPlayer all week. The website will have extended highlights of today's