Oyston - Win yet to sink in

Blackpool: Play-off winners

It takes a day or two for the result to sink in but we'll certainly go back and celebrate tonight and then see what happens on Monday.

Karl Oyston
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Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston admits he is struggling to take in the fact his club have been promoted to the Premier League.

Pool clinched promotion over Cardiff with a 3-2 Championship play-off final triumph at Wembley on Saturday afternoon, lifting them back into the top flight for the first time since 1971.

And Oyston, who has been at the helm of the Lancashire club since 1999, concedes he was blown away by the outcome.

Disbelief

"I don't think it's sunk in yet, (watching the game) there's a mixture of disbelief and you feel physically sick," Oyston told Sky Sports News.

"That's the fifth final I've been to now with Blackpool, and I think every one of them has flashed by and you don't really particularly enjoy the occasion.

"It takes a day or two for the result to sink in but we'll certainly go back and celebrate tonight and then see what happens on Monday."

Oyston hailed the effect of manager Ian Holloway, who took the post at the start of the season when the Seasiders were still favourites for relegation to League One.

"It's been unbelievable really," he added.

"Effectively he's got the same team that were favourites for relegation, added one or two players and got us where we are.

"He's changed everyone's approach and galvanised the whole club. He's given us all a common purpose that everyone has bought into, including me, the board and all the staff - and this is the result."

The chairman revealed Pool's plans for next season are likely to be put on hold until the festivities have died down.

"I'll have a good chat with Ian tonight and see what his thoughts are," he said.

"But I think we should just enjoy the moment and start planning for the future once the dust settles a little bit. It's hard to think straight at a time like this."

The promotion spot is worth an estimated £90million, and Oyston admits the financial boost will be crucial to ensuring Blackpool are at Premier League level on and off the pitch next season.

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"We've got a lot of work to do to really bring things up to scratch," added Oyston.

"We've got another stand to build at Bloomfield Road and a training ground to develop.

"There's a lot that we need to do and this gives us the opportunity to do all of the things we've previously been unable to do because of financial constraints."