Blackpool midfielder Kevin Stewart earns first international cap during Jamaica's World Cup qualifier

The 28-year-old came on as a substitute for Jamaica during their 3-2 World Cup qualifying defeat to Panama last night.

Previously uncapped, Stewart replaced Derby County’s Ravel Morrison in the 65th minute of the game.

Stewart, an unused substitute during the 2-1 defeat to Mexico last week, could earn his second cap when the Reggae Boyz play Costa Rica on Wednesday night (UK time).

The midfielder’s cameo was his first competitive action of any kind since October, when he started in Blackpool’s 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest - which was only his third appearance of the season.

Since then, the former Liverpool man has been sidelined with an ankle injury that has kept him sidelined until the turn of the New Year.

Stewart was included on the bench for Blackpool’s recent win against Millwall, but was unavailable against Fulham at the weekend because of his call-up.

Speaking to The Gazette last week, head coach Neil Critchley said he wasn’t entirely happy with the timing of Stewart’s departure.“Kevin’s gone away. He got on a flight yesterday,” Critchley said last Thursday.

“They’ve got some qualification games this weekend and just after, so he won’t be available this weekend.

“If you told me at the start of the season Kev was only going to play three games and not even three full games, I’d have been concerned about that.

“We’ve missed his experience and his quality for us in the middle of the pitch. He was a big player for us last season and I was hoping he was going to be a big player for us this season.

“We’ve just got him back recently as well and truthfully he was on the bench last week a little bit out of necessity. He hadn’t trained for that long.

“Ideally we’d like to get some more training into him and a game or two, maybe get a reserve game into him. But we’ve not been able to do that.

“But when it’s the international window and they’re recognised qualification games, there’s nothing we can do. If he’s called up and he’s fit, then he has to go and that’s what has happened.

“Jamaica are aware of his circumstances and hopefully they look after him, but he might get some valuable game time while he’s there as well.”

Blackpool were already light on options in central midfield prior to Stewart’s call-up due to Ryan Wintle’s return to Cardiff City and long-term injuries to Matty Virtue and Grant Ward.

Callum Connolly, who is predominantly a defender, has been filling in there in recent weeks alongside Kenny Dougall, who fortunately for Pool was not called up to the Australian squad for their World Cup qualifiers.

​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