Blackpool hand shirt numbers to youngsters to ensure tonight's game against Middlesbrough goes ahead

Jack Moore and Luke Mariette, who have starred for the Under-19s this season, have been given the 41 and 37 shirt numbers respectively.

Moore is a right-back while Mariette is a central midfielder, a position the Seasiders are especially light on.

Cameron Antwi, another central midfielder, has been recalled from his loan spell with AFC Telford United.

The 20-year-old, who joined Telford in October, made eight appearances for the National League North side.

It’s to make sure Blackpool are able to make up the numbers for tonight’s fixture against Middlesbrough at Bloomfield Road.

Neil Critchley’s squad is decimated by Covid, injuries and suspensions and Pool’s head coach revealed yesterday the Seasiders were “right on the limit” of the number of players required to fulfil a game.

Under EFL guidance, clubs must play a game if they have a goalkeeper and 13 outfield players available to them.

Speaking yesterday morning before another round of daily testing, Critchley confirmed the club had recorded another positive case since the Boxing Day game against Huddersfield Town.

Pool’s players will also have been tested today ahead of tonight’s game.

Sonny Carey, meanwhile, is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a metatarsal injury, while Chris Maxwell, Luke Garbutt, Kevin Stewart, Matty Virtue and Grant Ward were already sidelined.

A further four players joined the list of absentees on Boxing Day, with Reece James, Callum Connolly, Ryan Wintle and Owen Dale all unavailable for the trip to the John Smith’s Stadium due to a mixture of Covid and injuries.

As it stands, the Seasiders only have one fit senior midfielder in Kenny Dougall.

Virtue, Stewart, Wintle, Grant Ward and Carey are all unavailable, while Connolly and James – two defenders capable of filling in higher up the field – are also absent.

Despite the disruption, Critchley is keen for Blackpool to carry on and fulfil their fixture commitments as long as it’s safe to do so.

Speaking after the 3-2 defeat to Huddersfield, Pool’s head coach told The Gazette: “We’ve got a duty to try and take to the pitch, if we’re safe to do so of course.

“If you look at the situation right across the country, I think we have a duty to do our best to keep playing.

“I read that thousands of people spent Christmas in self-isolation.

“You also have to think about the effect that has on people mentally.

“Just having a game of football for people to come out, support their teams and share the emotion of the game is really important.

“Obviously the Huddersfield fans go home happy and ours don’t but it was just great to have a game of football.

“I’m sure everyone enjoyed seeing a good game with lots of incidents and goals, so they’ll go home with lots to talk about rather than thinking about other things in the world at this moment.”

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