Craddock's warning on Blackpool rise

Wolves defender Jody Craddock has warned the Premier League not to under-estimate the spirit which fashioned one of football's most unexpected success stories.

Like the rest of the football world, the veteran was bowled over by unfashionable Blackpool's arrival in the Premier League via Saturday's dramatic Championship play-off final at the weekend.

Although his heart went out to his old Wolves boss Dave Jones, whose Cardiff team were the last and most significant victims of the Tangerine dream, Craddock saw in Blackpool precisely the same "inner bond" which has carried his team to a second campaign at the top level.

He said: "Blackpool will take that spirit with them into the Premier League next season and it will be a source of strength to them.

"I know you hear it a lot about our dressing room but it is true - we don't just say it for the sake of it. There are no outsiders, no cliques at the club. Everyone is in it together.

"I think one of the most important moments last season came after those back-to-back defeats against Palace in the Cup and then in the last minute at Birmingham.

"I remember the players getting together that week and asking themselves and their team mates some tough questions. We were looking at each other and saying 'look, we're going to get relegated if we don't sort this out. Do we really want that? Are we going to give this up so easily?'

"There was a lot of honest talk and the result was we went out the next game and turned the season around by beating Spurs.

"That was one of the most important moments of the season."

In Craddock, Blackpool have the example of triumph over adversity that should give the Seasiders hope once they come down from the euphoria of their promotion and start planning for the demands of the Premier League.

The defender finds himself the toast of Wolves fans wherever he goes this summer, after a campaign which climaxed with his winning the fans Player of the Year award.

It has earned him a new contract for another season - Craddock refuses to look beyond that - during which he expects summer recruits to make his task of staying in the team even harder

But, in reflecting on the highs and lows of his outstanding season, the wise old head has no doubts who he rated his toughest opponents - and hit wasn't anyone in a Manchester United or Chelsea shirt.

He said: "There's so many great players in the league and you're meeting them every game. But I never faced anyone tougher than Villa's John Carew.

"When Villa had that 20, 25 minutes at us at Villa Park and he was awesome. He's so big and powerful in the air and yet there's a pace to his game too.

"Peter Crouch would be up there too - and I've got to say I was so impressed by Robbie Keane in the match at Spurs."

But the popular defender was still reticent to talk about his own individual highlights.

He said: "I honestly don't think that way.

"It's nice to pick up the Express & Star and see you've given me Man of the Match - I didn't read the paper too many times in my first year!

"But if you're pushing me, perhaps those two goals at Stoke were a good day."

And the best and worst moments for the team?

Craddock said: "Well, there's no doubt about the worst - Arsenal away. That was sickening. To lose to that goal in the 95th minute. The feeling was terrible. I felt we defended brilliantly that day, especially in that last 25 minutes. That was no way for us to be rewarded.

"The best is harder because each of the wins were special and important. The two against Spurs and obviously that night at West Ham. But I might pick the first one at Wigan as the best.

"We had lost on the opening day so to go there for the next match and beat them and win in the Premier League for the first time with this team - that was a very important moment for us."

Craddock inevitably went along with popular thinking in his own Player of the Season choices, although with a big nod to a couple of the unsung heroes.

He said: "Kevin Doyle we all know bout - the way he held up the ball, especially when we changed the system, and scored some vital goals. He was brilliant.

"But I thought Jarvo just got better and better and ended up playing with real confidence against top defenders and making chances. I also felt Christophe got better as the season went along - you can't ask for much more than that from a young player.

"In the end, I felt we made up quite a good partnership."