Two of last season’s relegated Premier League clubs, West Ham and Blackpool have progressed to the English Championship promotion playoff - dubbed the richest game in world football.
The Hammers eased past sixth-placed Cardiff 5-0 on aggregate while the Tangerines followed them into the final after a 3-2 aggregate triumph over Birmingham City.
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway may have lost alot of key players following their relegation last term, but they’ve produced an excellent effort to reach the playoff decider.
“If you asked me last summer when I lost all those players, I would have said this was a dead duck, but it certainly isn’t,” Holloway said after Wednesday’s victory.
“We don’t lie down. We keep going and try to do it in a decent way.”
Meanwhile, the Hammers will go into the game as favourites but boss Sam Allardyce said he’s prepared for that.
“It is big pressure for us,” he said ahead of Wednesday’s game. “Whoever we get, Birmingham or Blackpool, we are probably going to be favourites and have to live with that. Hopefully we’ll look forward to it and give another outstanding performance.
“We have a huge opportunity to get into the golden league, not for the money from my point of view but because that is where it all happens.
He added: “It’s been a long time I’ve been in the job and dealing with pressure was something I dealt with in the early part by talking to a lot of people. I’m very nervous inside but can control it on the exterior to keep players calm.”