Blackpool discuss impact of positive Covid tests on league fixtures

The Seasiders returned five positive tests on Friday following the club’s latest round of mandatory testing, which involved 37 players and staff.

While the players affected haven’t been named, regular first-teamers Dan Ballard, Ollie Turton, Kenny Dougall and Grant Ward were not involved in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup.

Coupled with injuries and Demetri Mitchell already isolating following a positive Covid test, Blackpool were left with a severely depleted squad for the fourth-round tie, resulting in four youth-team players making the trip to the south coast.

While FA guidelines stipulate cup-ties ought to go ahead as planned as long as 14 players are fit and available, there is now doubt as to whether Blackpool’s upcoming league games will go ahead.

The Seasiders are due to make the trip to Wigan Athletic tomorrow before hosting Burton Albion on Saturday.

Discussing the situation after his side’s cup exit at the Seagulls’ Amex Stadium, Critchley explained: “We were tested on Thursday and got the results back on Friday morning, so we had to think quickly on our feet with team selection.

“We had a plan for this game but with some of those players missing it created a bit of a dilemma.

“But we decided to go with the plan that we had and I thought the players carried it out very well.

“Regarding what happens now, that’s a conversation we’re going to be having over the next 24 hours.

“We were just concentrating on this game because we were straight on to the FA and the EFL to alert them to the situation.

“We got advice from them but we knew we were playing this game today.

“We can only control what we can control, which is our plan, our team and how we play today and we’ve done that.

“All my thoughts were on the game, knowing how tough it was going to be, so it’s something we’ll discuss now as a club on the journey home, which might take a while!

“We had to get advice very quickly and think quickly on our feet because we were due to train and then travel.

“We had to think about the team and how it would affect our preparation but as I’ve said previously, you have to expect the unexpected sometimes. You can only control what you’ve got in front of you.

“At this moment in time, I’m not sure how or if it affects Tuesday night, so that’s a conversation we’ll have because, quite rightly, we’ve been concentrating on this important game at Brighton.”

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here