The season commenced with a trip to local rivals
Burnley. The hosts won 5–1, and even Blackpool's goal was scored by a
Clarets player. Seven days later, the fixture was reversed. Jimmy Martin, Blackpool's second-top scorer the previous season, scored the home side's goal in a 1–1 draw. Three consecutive defeats followed: 2–0 at home to
Manchester City, 1–0 at
Newton Heath, and 4–1 at
Gainsborough Trinity. Laurence Halsall scored Blackpool's goal in the latter game. On 9 October, Blackpool recorded their first win of the season, 2–1 at home to
Burton Swifts.
Jack Cox, in only his second start for the club since his arrival from South Shore, scored both Blackpool goals. Cox scored another brace in the following game, a 4–1 victory over
Small Heath at
Stanley Park's
Athletic Grounds.
John Clarkin and
Bob Birkett netted the other goals for the home side. On 23 October, Blackpool travelled to
Newcastle United and returned empty-handed after a 2–0 defeat. November proved to be a fruitless month, with defeats at
Leicester Fosse (4–1),
Darwen (3–1),
Woolwich Arsenal (2–1) and
Luton Town (3–1). Martin scored Blackpool's goals in the first three losses, and Clarkin in the final one. After a three-week break, Blackpool beat Gainsborough Trinity 5–0 at the Athletic Grounds. Cox,
Harry Stirzaker and
Jack Parkinson scored, alongside two own-goals by the visitors. Cox scored two more in the following game a week later, a 3–2 home defeat by Newcastle. 1897 was closed out with a 6–0 defeat at
Walsall. Blackpool began the New Year with a 3–3 draw at home to Woolwich Arsenal. Cox netted twice, with Birkett also scoring. On 8 January, Parkinson and Martin combined to lift Blackpool to a 2–1 victory over Leicester Fosse. Continuing their inconsistent season,
the Seasiders lost the following game, their third consecutive home match, 4–0 to Newton Heath. At the end of the month, Blackpool travelled to Small Heath and recorded a 3–2 victory. Parkinson, Martin and Cox were the scorers. February began with a defeat, 3–2 at Lincoln City; however, Blackpool exacted revenge six days later in the return match: two goals apiece from Birkett and Cox, plus one more from Parkinson, gave them a 5–0 victory. This was Cox's final appearance for Blackpool before he was sold to
Liverpool, but his twelve goals remained unbeaten in the remaining nine games. Birkett scored in the following game, at Burton Swifts on 26 February, but he could not carry them to victory, Swifts winning 2–1. Blackpool didn't play again until 19 March, when they travelled to
Grimsby Town. The home side won 3–0. Seven days later, Blackpool hosted
Loughborough. Goals from Birkett and Jack Leadbetter, his first of the season, gave Blackpool a 2–0 victory. March ended with a 3–3 draw at Manchester City, featuring two goals from Parkinson and one from Clarkin. Another draw followed, this time 1–1 with Walsall, in the first of five consecutive home games for Blackpool. Martin scored his seventh of the season. On 8 April, Clarkin scored the only goal of the game as Blackpool beat Darwen. Eight days later, Leadbetter scored his second goal of the season in a 1–1 draw with Grimsby. Leadbetter was also one of the scorers as Blackpool completed a double over Loughborough. Parkinson (two) and Birkett scored the other goals of the 4–0 victory. Blackpool started the match a man short. The season ended with a single-goal victory over Luton, Clarkin scoring his fifth of the campaign. ==Table==