Blackpool Football Club’s retained list, in effect detailing the players leaving the building, those that remain under contract, and any with whom negotiations are ongoing, contained few surprises, although created some confusion amongst many supporters.

The most notable departee was Marvin Ekpiteta, a late starter in league football but who spent four in the main stellar seasons at FY1, with his first two campaigns being of particular note. Out of contract and without an option to be exercised by the club, Ekpiteta was quite likely offered a new deal but decided his future lay elsewhere, presumably in the Championship and closer to his London-based family. It is also entirely possible that the former Leyton Orient man notified the club some time ago of his desire to leave, with therefore the offer of a new deal being unnecessary. This though has not stopped some fans from criticising the club for not retaining his services…

Other relatively high profile but not unexpected departures include Shayne Lavery, Matt Virtue, and Callum Connolly. Each has found themselves on the periphery of the team, although Lavery’s frequent injuries have undoubtedly impinged upon his potency and confidence in front of goal. In fact, I can think back to October 2021 when Blackburn Rovers’ defender Daniel Ayala cleaned out Lavery to such an extent that he has arguably never been the same player again. Either way, eighteen goals at a frequency of 1 in 6 matches is clearly not good enough for a striker at any level of the game. In a similar situation, Matt Virtue has had such an injury-plagued career at the seaside that it is best for the Liverpudlian to reboot his career elsewhere.

Versatile defender James Husband is still in discussions with the club, and whilst retaining the 30-year old’s services would on balance represent good business, it would not be a great surprise if the player was seeking a fresh challenge. It is moot as to whether Husband is good enough to play in the Championship, but he and those still under contract such as Daniel Grimshaw, Jordan Gabriel, and Albie Morgan will undoubtedly have their admirers in the second tier. It is anticipated that Dominic Thompson will leave; to such depths had the former Brentford man’s stock fallen at the club that he ended up on loan at Forest Green Rovers, 92nd and last in the Football League.

If Blackpool are to be competitive next season, they will have to embark on a recruitment exercise that will cost more than perhaps owner Simon Sadler is willing to spend. A top class centre back, two wing backs (should manager Neil Critchley persist with three at the back), a third choice keeper, George Byers (or similar), and two strikers who have a unequivocal understanding of their remit is the bare minimum required. With the likes of Rob Apter, Ryan Finnigan, and perhaps Jack Moore and Josh Miles to come into the reckoning Blackpool are to some extent able to recruit from within, but there is much work to be done, and cash to be spent, if the starting line up and squad are to be brought up to code. Some very decent money has been saved from the wages of the departing Connolly and Ekpiteta, but let’s not forget that Blackpool have previously seen the high(er) earning but extremely influential Keshi Anderson, Gary Madine, Richard Keogh, Josh Bowler, Kevin Stewart, Kenny Dougall and Jerry Yates leave the club, no doubt reflecting a significant reduction in the wage bill.

A potentially sizeable fly in the ointment is the recent revelation of owner Simon Sadler appearing in a Hong Kong court, standing accused of alleged historic insider trading through his Segantii Capital Management hedge fund. A court-imposed surety of the equivalent of $128,000 USD not only highlights Sadler’s ability to pay, but also the severity of the matter. Adjourned until mid-June, this could be a serious distraction to the task in hand, the rebuilding of Blackpool’s squad into a leaner, more competitive unit.

Whilst I am loathed to make comparisons with previous owners, it is well-remembered by supporters of a certain vintage how Blackpool’s 1995/96 season fell off a cliff once an otherwise distracted Owen Oyston, facing multiple rape charges, was unavailable to sign off what at the time were the crucial signings of at least two of Karl Connolly, David Reeves, Paul Barnes, and Shaun Goater. As the only board member of Blackpool Football Club, and without doubt the man who has the final say on just about anything at Bloomfield Road, there will be until greater clarity has been evinced some concern as to how the club may be affected financially, and therefore its fortunes on the pitch, what with League One shaping up to be a greater challenge than ever. We also must remember that Mr. Sadler and his co-defendant are innocent until proven guilty, but the last thing Blackpool need is a owner who, unfairly or otherwise, is loosely but ultimately grouped together with the Oystons, and former minority shareholder, Valeri Belekon.

If, and it’s a big if, that the transfer budget allows Blackpool supporters to purchase their season tickets with more than a modicum of optimism, keeping the likes of Grimshaw, Gabriel and Morgan whilst recruiting former loanees Byers, Coulson, and maybe Jordan Rhodes would represent a solid base on which to build. However, the business model instituted by Sadler and Critchley during the latter’s first iteration at the club would suggest that developing the likes of Gabriel and Grimshaw before selling them on could form a large part of the recruitment budget. It should though be remembered that significant money was received for Josh Bowler and Jerry Yates, plus seven-figure compensation from Aston Villa when Critchley abruptly left to collect cones for Steven Gerrard. Despite this, Blackpool are no better off on the pitch, if league position is seen as the ultimate indicator.

Uncertainty and intrigue at Bloomfield Road are not exactly unusual, but with many moving parts to the narrative, what occurs 6,000 miles away in a Far Eastern court room may yet exert the greatest but most unwelcome influence over what occurs during the summer, and forthcoming season.

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