Forethoughts on Millwall vs. Blackpool

The first league game of any season is always something of an unknown, yet for the majority of football fans up and down the country it is that uncertainty that holds so much of the excitement of an opening day. Writing a match preview therefore is somewhat difficult given a lack of recent matches to base opinions on, although the shifting of the League Cup 1st round to inaugurate the season does help a little. Nonetheless, let's look ahead to this weekend's curtain-raiser and see what The New Den has in store for Blackpool.

Forethoughts on the Championship Play-Off Final - Blackpool vs. West Ham United

Blackpool and West Ham United will step out at Wembley on Saturday to play in the hyperbolic richest game in football. Here is your match preview:

Forethoughts on... Blackpool vs. West Ham United

Blackpool welcome West Ham to Bloomfield Road tonight in a top of the table clash which could see 'Pool move within two points of their rivals with a win. Here's your match preview:

Forethoughts on... Blackpool vs. Portsmouth

Blackpool will be looking to extend their recent run of good form in front of the Sky television cameras as they welcome troubled Portsmouth to Bloomfield Road. Here's your match preview:

Forethoughts on... Blackpool vs. Coventry City

After a disappointing draw with Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup on Saturday, Blackpool return to league action on Tuesday night against Coventry City, who currently sit at the foot of the Championship. Here's the Up the 'Pool match preview:

Forethoughts on Blackpool vs. Crystal Palace

During the blog's summer hiatus, as well as taking a much-needed break from writing, I was keeping myself ticking over thinking of new ideas for features. The loss of chalkboard data that accompanied relegation from the Premier League forced my hand when it came to how matches are reviewed - the Seaside Strategy series of posts were consigned to the past.

The replacement template for match reports would become my 'Four Thoughts on...' series, in which four key themes are picked out to analyse each game. Until now, the reason for settling on the number four has been a little unclear, with one reader, almost angrily, commenting "Why does it always have to be four thoughts? Why do you never have three thoughts, or five?".

The answer, dear reader, should now be a little more transparent upon reading the title of this post and the somewhat unsubtle wordplay therein. It was always my intention that I would expand my coverage by both previewing and reviewing as many fixtures as possible, but for a variety of reasons it has taken until now to launch 'Forethoughts'.

It is hoped this will become a regular feature, and kicking it off is a preview of Saturday's home fixture against Crystal Palace...