Following their promotion via the Championship play-offs in May, the Seasiders have made a big impression in the top flight, winning two of their opening four matches - a sensational 4-0 victory at Wigan and last weekend's 2-0 triumph at Newcastle - and only being held to a draw in another thanks to a late equaliser at Bloomfield Road by Fulham's Dickson Etuhu.

Those results have seen Holloway's side move up to fourth place.

But they have also been hammered 6-0 at Arsenal and, with Blackpool returning to London this weekend to take on league leaders and champions Chelsea, their manager knows it is important to remain grounded about their early success.

"The facts at the moment are that we have seven points out of twelve, which no-one would have given us a hope in hell to get," Holloway said.

"This is another away game and we have only had one at home, which we played exceptionally well in and could have had another two points, barring a great goal against us in the last three minutes.

"If we could go to Stamford Bridge and give a really good account of ourselves, it will be something else to put in your top pocket and then we can see where we go. But no-one is going to get carried away."

Asked to consider that the match is a clash between the teams currently lying first and fourth in the table, Holloway said: "That is a fact at the moment, we can't deny that, but if there were only four games left in the season rather than four games gone, I'd probably have a different demeanour about myself.

"We're all very realistic and we know the challenge ahead. We knew the challenge last weekend - that we had to be at our best, almost above our best, and we were.

"We've got to times that by four at least I would imagine to even have of chance of getting any sort of point (at Chelsea). But we've got to go there and we have got to try to do what we can."

Blackpool youth team coach Gary Parkinson has been in hospital after suffering a stroke last week and the players displayed a t-shirt during the Newcastle game with his name on it.

Holloway met with the 42-year-old's wife Debbie today and stressed that the club would do whatever it could to offer support to the Parkinson family.

"It was great to see her today and I'm amazed at the strength of the lady," Holloway said.

"As long as there is a hope that someone can come back, then hopefully, Gary can, but it is a shock to everyone, with him only being 42.

"We've got to be there for her and I've assured her we will be.

"My lads know that you talk about your family, that family comes first and it always will.

"I'm sure the lads will keep doing what Gary would want us to do.

"He is very proud of how we are playing football and passing the ball around, and she told me today to tell the lads to keep doing what they are doing."