Rewind three years to a vile winter morning on Blackpool sea front. Rain lashes against the windows of the resort's faded hotels, where one can enjoy a bed and breakfast for as little as £9 (Dh53) a night.
The heavy brown swell of the Irish Sea crashes against the famous promenade, where shelter is limited and shoppers scurry quickly to avoid the downpour. Nearby, a gaggle of football fans make their way to Blackpool North train station, gateway to the resort for hundreds of thousands of working-class families holidaying from northern England and Scotland over the past century.
Blackpool attracts more visitors each year than Greece and has more hotel beds than Portugal. It consumes more chips per capita than anywhere on the planet and boasts Europe's second most popular tourist attraction, the Pleasure Beach, only topped by the Vatican.
And yet it has seen much better days.
"Blackpool is ugly, dirty and a long way from anywhere," wrote Bill Bryson in the best-selling Notes from a Small Island, "its sea is an open toilet, and its attractions nearly all cheap, provincial and dire."
The fans travelling away to see Blackpool against Preston North End, their biggest rivals, have grown tired of such criticisms.
They bemoan that the surfeit of accommodation is filled with a population of outsiders on government handouts who give the town a bad name.
They also knew that the fortunes of the football club had mirrored those of the town. Blackpool joined the Football League in 1896 and have a proud history.
FA Cup finalists in 1948 and 1951, they went one better and won the competition in the "Matthews Final" of 1953, when the Seasiders came from 3-1 down to beat Bolton Wanderers 4-3, inspired by club legend Sir Stanley Matthews.
During the post-war period, Blackpool finished runners-up to Manchester United's "Busby Babes" in the race for the 1956 title. The club also supplied England with several internationals - four of them, including the great Stan Mortensen, for the famous 1953 Wembley defeat to Hungary. A statue of Mortensen now stands outside their Bloomfield Road home. Later, Jimmy Armfield was in the 1966 England squad alongside Alan Ball.
The Seasiders were relegated from England's top flight in 1971 and the rot slowly set in. Their Bloomfield Road stadium splintered and crumbled and by the turn of the millennium was the worst ground in the Football League, but at least the club was still in existence.
In 1983, just 12 years after playing in the top tier, Blackpool faced the ignominy of being re-elected (being voted back into league football by fellow professional clubs) after finishing fourth from bottom of the old fourth division.
It was not so much a roller-coaster ride, but a downhill slide in the town's famous fun house.
Local media tycoon Owen Oyston, the flamboyant former actor, saved Blackpool from ruin in 1988, only to step down when he was convicted of rape. His son, Karl, took over and remains chairman, but the Oystons divide opinion locally, with appreciation for their role in saving Blackpool from bankruptcy and keeping the club solvent tempered by concern.
In May 2006, Valery Belokon, a Latvian businessman and Oyston business associate, became club president after making an undisclosed investment which gave him a 20 per cent stake. When he talked about Blackpool playing Premier League football within five years, people considered him mad.
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When the fans reach the train station on this dire morning, the message "Good Luck Blackpool FC" appears on information screen. They will need it.
It is the 2007/08 season and Blackpool have just been promoted to the Championship, England's second tier. While they might be favourites to be relegated back to the third level, they intend to enjoy their season among bigger fish like Preston, their West Lancashire rivals from down the M55 motorway.
Preston, who boast an equally illustrious history, have spent £1.5 million on new players, Blackpool just £100,000.
Preston average 13,000 crowds in a smart and fully redeveloped stadium, Blackpool struggle to get 8,000 in a stadium with just two permanent stands. They have the smallest stadium and second lowest crowds in England's second tier.
Blackpool win the game and the three points lift them out of the relegation zone, to which they do not return. The achievement is enough for Simon Grayson, their talented manager, to be offered the job at Leeds United, a much bigger club, in 2008.
Blackpool were again favourites to be relegated in 2009 and despite being heavily dependent on loan signings (22 alone in 2008/09), they manage to avoid the drop. They were also favourites to go down last season under Ian Holloway, their new manager.
Instead, Holloway led them to the Premier League via the play-offs and a dramatic victory over Cardiff City, in which Brett Ormerod scored the winner, nine years after scoring in a League Two (fourth level) play-off final.
The town enjoys the moment and the players celebrate their success on an open top tram on the promenade, but Blackpool are predicted to go straight back down.
Championship sides such as Bristol City outbid Blackpool for players in the transfer market, with the Tangerines unwilling to pay any player more than £10,000 a week.
They spend the summer sprucing up their home and construct a new temporary stand which seats 5,000 and boosts the capacity to over 16,000. It is still the smallest in the league but it is almost twice what it was a year ago. It is in that stand that Manchester United fans will take their seats for tonight's Premier League game.
Visits from giants like United are one of the reasons why season tickets sold out and average crowds have almost doubled. Most expected to lose most weeks, while still having a good time, but Blackpool have dumbfounded the critics.
Despite having the lowest playing budget in the league by a distance, Blackpool hammered Wigan Athletic 4-0 away on the opening day of the season. They have since beaten Liverpool, Stoke City, Newcastle United and Sunderland away - all clubs in the top half of the table with formidable home records.
"They have been a breath of fresh air this season because they have gone out and attacked teams," Ryan Giggs, United's midfield veteran, said.
Blackpool have won as many away games as United, the league leaders, and champions Chelsea combined, though they have picked up just 11 points at home - fewer than any other Premier League club.
"We're living the dream and are desperate not to wake up," said Simon Early, a lifelong fan. "But we're worried we soon will. Most pundits had us down to 'do a Derby' [Derby County went through the 2007/08 season recording just a solitary victory in 38 games] but at the start of 2011 we were eighth in the table.
"But, the way the Premier League's been this season, it's still only six points off relegation, so I know which direction I'm looking."
Such nervousness is understandable given that Blackpool have lost four of their last five league games.
If they lose key players like Charlie Adam, their much revered captain who, according to his agent yesterday, had handed in a transfer request, then Holloway's task will be even harder.
He has kept the media entertained with his thoughts on everything from fielding under strength sides to the chickens he keeps at home, but underneath the jovial exterior is a demanding manager.
In turn, his players talk about being prepared to run through brick walls for him. They play good football, too. Premier League survival was considered implausible, but Blackpool have given themselves a realistic chance by their form in the first half of the season. They might not build on that against unbeaten United tonight, but where Blackpool are concerned, who knows?
sports@thenational.ae
11.30pm, Abu Dhabi Sports 5
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
Indika
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
RESULTS
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Hugo Lebouc (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) Dh 84,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Karaginsky, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Sadeedd, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard.
3pm Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Blue Sovereign, Clement Lecoeuvre, Erwan Charpy.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Bladesmith, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 68,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
