'Proactive' - Blackpool's pre-summer plans outlined with Ian Evatt excitement shared

Blackpool have a clear vision of what it means to be successful at Bloomfield Road as they continue to make their preparations for the 2026/27 League One campaign.

In the past month, there’s been some changes behind the scenes, with Julian Winter departing his role as CEO and Sporting Director David Downes stepping up.

Meanwhile, Head of Football Operations Nick Horne has taken on the new position of Chief Operating Officer as part of the reshuffle.

This summer marks club legend Ian Evatt’s first in charge, as he looks to put his own stamp on proceedings following his appointment as head coach back in October.

While there were ups and downs throughout the 44-year-old’s first few months at the helm, the Seasiders headed into the off-season with a spring in their step after a strong run of form to pull well clear of the third tier’s relegation battle.

Downes states figures at the club have already been proactive in the last few weeks as they prepare for the transfer window to open.

“When we talk about engagement, being community-led, and delivering something on the pitch, that’s where having Ian in charge is a real plus point,” he said during an in-house interview with the club.

“Ian, Dobbs (Stephen Dobbie), Crains (Stephen Crainey) and Thommo (Steve Thompson) know what good looks like in this sense. They know what people want to see, and they know what it feels like to be successful.

“The way we ended the season, they were heavily enthused, and wished it hadn’t finished ultimately. Their excitement leads into pre-season.

“We’re making plans, and I know they’ve been incredibly busy even though they’ve been taking a break. The work doesn’t really stop - there’s players to watch, people to speak to, players to meet. I know they’ve been proactive in doing that.”