Why Blackpool FC should be securing future of ex-Birmingham City and Burnley man this summer
Blackpool have a number of contract decisions to make this summer.
Opinion: Bailey Peacock-Farrell has had his ups and downs this season - but he’s done enough to earn a contract offer from Blackpool.
The goalkeeper made the move to Bloomfield Road on loan from Birmingham City last summer, and has since joined the Seasiders on a permanent short-term deal following the mutual termination of his contract at St. Andrew’s in January.
A month into the campaign, if you would’ve asked whether keeping the Northern Ireland international beyond this season should’ve been on agenda - the answer would’ve been very different to now.
In fact the verdict on this topic has probably changed several times in a nine-month spell.
Blackpool’s struggles as a team has hurt several players individually at various points, with Peacock-Farrell among those having to deal with tough spells.
It was a nervy start to life with the club for the ex-Burnley man, and that gave him the challenge of having to get people back on side from the very start.
There have been times where criticism has been fair. He has made some errors that have stood out and there are areas of his game that can be targeted, but that’s the nature of being a goalkeeper.
His confidence has grown as the season has progressed, and he’s become a big part of why Blackpool now look set to remain in League One next season.
The 29-year-old was on hand with several heroic moments on Saturday afternoon against Wycombe Wanderers, including a crucial double save in the final moments to secure the 1-0 win.
There’s been plenty of examples of this throughout the campaign, where he has been the difference between winning and losing.
Some vital points have come Blackpool’s way because Peacock-Farrell’s efforts between the sticks, and the big saves he has made probably outweigh any errors.
It’s taken more or less a full season to come to this conclusion - but the Seasiders should be looking to keep him next season.
Since the departure of Dan Grimshaw in 2024, the club haven’t done enough to replace him permanently, and it’s been one of the weaknesses of their recent transfer business.
The loan signing of Harry Tyrer to immediately fill the hole demonstrated that they had been caught out by the exit of their first choice.
While the now-Cardiff City man grew in stature after a difficult start of his own, he still wasn’t Blackpool’s own player, so his development at Bloomfield Road was ultimately for nothing when they couldn’t get him back permanently.
It was a similar story last summer as well with the loan signing of Peacock-Farrell. While he is a much older figure and didn’t need the exposure like Tyrer, he still wasn’t someone the club could look to for the long-term on his initial terms.
The termination of his contract at Birmingham does change things, and means he’s available to stop the constant cycle of searching for a number one keeper.
He ticks a lot of boxes, including the fact that he’s already established himself on the Fylde Coast and the club knows exactly what they’ll get from him.
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