On 7 November, after a second game in charge for Thompson, Blackpool appointed Michael Appleton in the role in a permanent capacity, on a one-year rolling contract.

Over the summer, the club released five players: forwards Lomana LuaLua, Daniel Bogdanović, Roman Bednář and Brett Ormerod, and defender Matt Hill.

In addition, four loan players returned to their parent clubs: defender Danny Wilson, midfielder John Fleck, and forwards Nouha Dicko and Stephen Dobbie.

[3] The following day, midfielder Keith Southern, the club's longest-serving current player, was sold to Huddersfield Town for £300,000, reuniting with his former manager at Blackpool, Simon Grayson.

On 27 July, Ian Holloway made his fourth signing in Dundee United's 27-year-old Scotland international midfielder Scott Robertson.

They were forward Alex Addai, defender Matt Challoner, and midfielders Jamie Menagh and Curtis Thompson.

While the squad were at their pre-season training camp in Portugal, Craig Sutherland suffered a knee injury that will put him out of action for twelve months.

Recent departure Brett Ormerod started for Wrexham, while Morrell came on as a second-half substitute after being urged on by the visiting support.

Blackpool officially kicked off their season on 12 August, with a League Cup first-round fixture against Morecambe at Bloomfield Road.

Danish-Algerian striker Adda Djeziri, who had played under Ian Holloway at Leicester City, joined from Viborg.

[10] On the eve of their first League game of the season, striker Nouha Dicko re-joined the club on a season-long loan from Wigan Athletic,[11] thus making the first-team squad total 38.

Substitute Matt Phillips, reinstated to the matchday squad after submitting a transfer request at the weekend, netted the winner five minutes later.

[13] On 23 August, Ivorian forward Anderson Banvo and Frenchman Brice Irie-Bi joined the club on one-year contracts.

[16] Blackpool's 100% start to the League campaign was ended on 1 September, with a single-goal defeat at Ian Holloway's former club Leicester City — a disputed penalty the difference.

[17] On 4 September, former Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot joined the club on a free transfer, becoming the ninth Scot at Ian Holloway's disposal.

They came away with a draw — Tom Ince scoring his fifth goal in as many League games — and were knocked off the top of the table by Blackburn Rovers.

A double from Nathan Delfouneso, on his full debut, inside 40 minutes put Blackpool into the driving seat.

Tom Ince made it 3–1 ten minutes into the second half, in the process making himself the division's leading scorer, with six goals.

[20] Two successive defeats ensued – 3–1 at home to Huddersfield Town, managed by former Blackpool boss Simon Grayson, and 3–0 at Cardiff City.

Assistant manager Steve Thompson took charge in a caretaker capacity for the fixture, but Holloway's team selection stuck.

A Tom Ince penalty — his tenth goal of the campaign — in the closing seconds of the game kept Appleton's unbeaten start intact.

The Hornets went two goals ahead before the half-hour mark, but the hosts fought back to take a point with second-half strikes from Kevin Phillips and, in the final seconds of the game, Isaiah Osbourne.

Glenn Murray put Palace ahead for the first time just after the hour mark, but substitute Nouha Dicko scored in the final minute to maintain Michael Appleton's unbeaten start to his Blackpool career.

On 11 January, after just two months in charge of the Seasiders, Michael Appleton quit to take over at Blackburn Rovers, leaving Karl Oyston the task of looking for a new manager for the second time this season.

Paul Ince was named as Michael Appleton's successor on 18 February, and his first match in charge was at Leeds United two days later.

They would have expected to face former manager Michael Appleton, but he was relieved of his duties the previous week after 67 days in charge.

They did face a former manager in the next game, when Ian Holloway brought his Crystal Palace side to Bloomfield Road.

Despite having Barry Ferguson sent off just before half time, Matt Phillips' goal was enough to give the hosts a valuable three points.

Blackpool travelled to the south coast to face Brighton on 20 April, and they suffered their heaviest defeat in recent memory after Gus Poyet's men ran out 6–1 winners.

Matt Phillips scored Blackpool's first, before Ludovic Sylvestre, with his fourth goal in six games, doubled the lead.