A postcard from ...Blackpool

Some things I learned

1. Bloomfield Road is the most bizarre stadium in the Football League. If Sven Goran Eriksson was describing it, he would probably say: 'Two stands good, two stands not so good'. Two sides of the ground would grace any Championship side. But opposite the main stand is a temporary structure (I bet the Health and Safety officers looked on in horror when Albion fans started 'boinging'), while behind one of the goals was nothing, just a car park, built on rubble. It meant that Mark 'Bamber' Gascoigne, Albion's assistant kit man, was despatched to fetch the balls which had flown over during the pre-match warm-up. And a very good job he did too.

2. Blackpool are one of the most hospitable clubs in the country. The media were welcomed individually by possibly the world's friendliest steward, who greeted each press member with a handshake and, "welcome to Blackpool, I am a war veteran and served in the Falklands. Enjoy your visit and enjoy the game". If that wasn't surreal enough he then went onto claim, without a hint of irony, that the Bloomfield Road surface was "better than Wembley's."

3. The one-time home of Sir Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen and Micky Mellon must by the only stadium where the officials' dressing room is sponsored. Last night's match officials were brought to you by Punch And Truncheon - whatever, or whoever, they are. There's got to be a joke in there somewhere.

4. Albion photographer Laurie Rampling must have thought he was in a parallel universe when he discovered the Baggies had won 3-1. The club's official snapper got hit on the head by a wayward Carl Hoefkens ball as he snapped away when the scores were level after 81 minutes, spending the remainder of the game in a groggy daze. The stadium's first aiders soon brought him around - by threatening to send him to Blackpool hospital. Not ideal for Laurie who lives in deepest Essex. The good news is that no permanent damage was caused. The ball was fine.*

5. A certain commentator got so excited after Albion's third goal that he announced, "I'm having an embolism." Apparently it means 'clot'. Quite.

6. Which fool decided it would be a good idea to shut off two lanes of the southbound M6 for roadworks, near Nantwich, on the night there was a Champions League semi-final involving Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield, Albion played Blackpool and Swansea travelled back from Carlisle?

7. Speaking of motorway madness, Albion's team bus was parked on the hard shoulder after the game. Early rumours suggested it was because of a faulty fan belt. Given that the luxury coach was soon back on the road it makes you wonder who provided the pair of tights needed to fix the problem...

* Only kidding mate. You had us all worried...