This season Prostate Cancer UK is the official charity of The
Football League. To celebrate, we've asked bloggers from each of
the 72 clubs to count down their top five strikers to have worn the
No9 shirt, in recognition of the fact that prostate cancer
affects one in nine men.
Reformed hero: Tony Ellis spent some time with rivals Preston. Photo courtesy of Action Images
Here blogger John Campbell, from bfcblog.co.uk, selects
Blackpool's five best No9s… and one to forget!
5. Jimmy Hampson (1927-38)
Hampson spent eight seasons as the club's top scorer, racking up a
total of 248 goals in 361 games and remains the club's record
scorer. However the tally could have been higher - two days after
playing Birmingham he went fishing with some friends off the coast
of Fleetwood. Their boat crashed into a trawler and Thompson fell
overboard - his body was never recovered. If it wasn't for his
untimely death at the age of 31, many believe he would have gone on
to break the 300-goal mark.
4. Dave Bamber (1979-83 & 1990-94)
Bamber netted 108 times in 231 appearances during two spells at
the club. He started his career on the seaside, ended it there and
still lives on the coast - a real local hero. Unlike most of the
other players in this list Bamber played for the Pool in the lower
divisions. While he may have missed a penalty in the 1991 play-off
final shootout against Torquay, he gained redemption the following
year by scoring in the final against Scunthorpe as we won promotion
to the new Division Two.
3. Tony Ellis (1994-97)
Hard to believe, but for years Ellis was hated at Bloomfield Road
thanks to his hat-trick against us for our dear local rivals
Preston. So we signed him and he was a pivotal part of the team
that pushed for promotion in 1996. The best forward I've seen with
his back to goal, and a damn fine tash, too.
2. Mickey Walsh (1973-78)
Walsh scored 72 goals in 180 matches at the seaside but one in
particular stood out. In 1975 his strike in a 3-2 win against
Sunderland at home won the Match Of The Day goal of the season
competition. With a run from the halfway line, a turn on the edge
of the area, and a rocket into the top corner, you can see why. Cue
kids on the pitch and a very excited Barry Davies commentating.
1. Stan Mortensen (1941-55)
Morty's career at Blackpool overlapped with the second world war,
during which he was the sole survivor when his RAF bomber crashed
in Scotland. He was discharged and advised to give up football - he
didn't. Instead he went on to bag 197 goals in 317 appearances,
including a hat-trick in the FA Cup final win of 1953 against
Bolton; he is still the only player to achieve that feat.
And the worst…
Chris Malkin (1996-99)
After signing in 1996 for £275,000 Malkin remained our record
signing until 2008. But he wasn't just remembered for that vast fee
- his measly total of six goals in 65 games stayed in the memory,
too. A headline signing that never shone and was a huge
disappointment to all. Eventually, he was allowed to leave the club
for free to join non-league Telford.
Follow John on Twitter @blackpoolfcblog