Blackpool entered the 2012-13 season with their eyes on gaining promotion back into the Premier League.
Manager Ian Holloway made a number of changes to his playing staff in an attempt to make this a reality, bringing in the likes of Isaiah Osbourne, Tiago Gomes, Kirk Broadfoot and Nathan Delfouneso.
Holloway was also able to hold onto in-demand attacker Thomas Ince during the summer, but the club's longest-serving player - Keith Southern - ended his time at Bloomfield Road when he joined Huddersfield Town.
With half of the Championship season now gone, Sports Mole takes a closer look at Blackpool's campaign so far.
August
The season began with disappointment for Blackpool as they were eliminated from the League Cup at the very first hurdle courtesy of League Two's Morecambe.
Their league campaign got off to a flying start, however, as the Seasiders beat fellow promotion contenders Millwall and Leeds United in their opening two games.
Things were to get even better for Ian Holloway's men, as they finished the month by thrashing Ipswich Town 6-0 to move top of the Championship table.
September
Blackpool's 100% record came to an end on September 1 as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Leicester City, but results elsewhere ensured that they held on to top spot.
They were finally knocked off the Championship summit courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Barnsley, but responded immediately by beating Middlesbrough 4-1.
September ended in disappointing fashion for the Tangerines, however, as they lost consecutive games to Huddersfield and Cardiff, shipping three goals in each match.
October
An early victory over Hull City brought a false dawn of hope for Blackpool as their form continued to slide, as did their league position.
Defeats to Charlton and Burnley, the latter in a Lancashire derby, were followed by successive home draws to Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion, leaving Blackpool with just one win in their past seven league matches.
November
The start of November was a turbulent time for Blackpool as manager Ian Holloway resigned on the morning of their first match of the month to join Crystal Palace. The Seasiders went on to lose 4-1 under the eye of caretaker manager Steve Thompson.
Thompson was still in charge when they finally recorded another win, a 2-0 triumph over struggling Sheffield Wednesday. Portsmouth boss Michael Appleton was named as Holloway's successor one day later and got off to an average start, drawing 2-2 with Bolton in his opening game.
Three more draws followed for Appleton, including two last-gasp equalisers against Bristol City and Watford, to ensure that he ended his first month in charge unbeaten.
December
Appleton finally recorded his first win as Blackpool boss with a 4-1 victory over Peterborough on December 1, star player Ince grabbing a brace for his side.
The Seasiders scored another late goal to pinch a draw against high-flying Crystal Palace in their next game before a 2-0 win over Blackburn extended their unbeaten run to eight games.
This run was ended when Wolves came to Bloomfield Road, however, as a Sylvan Ebanks-Blake double sealed a 2-1 win for the away side. Nathan Delfouneso scored a 90th-minute equaliser to rescue a point for the Tangerines on Boxing Day, leaving them 11th in the Championship table.
Barney Corkhill
