with birmingham needing to reduce their wage bill following their relegation from the premier league, ferguson joined championship club blackpool on 22 july 2011 for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around £750,000. this enabled him to move closer to his family in scotland, and he signed a two-year deal, with the option of staying on for a further year. he was given the captain's armband (taking over from charlie adam, who had departed for liverpool) for the club's opening league fixture at hull city on 5 august.