'Really important' - Blackpool boss makes feelings clear on academy pair as he outlines what he wants
A number of Blackpool’s youngsters are currently out on loan in non-league.
Blackpool youngster Theo Upton was on hand with a hat-trick for Matlock Town on Tuesday night.
The teenage midfielder joined the non-league outfit on loan last month, and was handed his debut in a 4-0 defeat to Emley AFC just under a fortnight.
Upton’s second outing for the Gladiators proved to be much more enjoyable, as he found the back of the net three times in a 7-2 victory over Newton Aycliffe.
The 17-year-old isn’t a stranger to first-team action, having featured five times for the Seasiders in both the EFL Trophy and League One since making his competitive debut for the club in 2024.
Elsewhere, fellow youngsters Harvey Bardsley, James Butterworth (both Trafford FC), Terry Bondo (King’s Lynn Town) and Spencer Knight (Bamber Bridge) have also been picking up minutes elsewhere, with Oluchi Nwankwo also recently returning from a stint with the Brig alongside the latter as well.
“Since I’ve come, we’ve tried to make a difference with the young players by giving them some exposure to the first-team.
“They’ve impressed me. I think it’s really important that we develop our own here.
“Theo (Upton) and Oluchi (Nwankwo) in particular have been outstanding since they’ve been with me and it’s great to see them going elsewhere, showing what they can do.”
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