‘Fantastic’ - Blackpool legend delivers verdict on newest debutant

Blackpool legend Stephen Dobbie has expressed his delight after the senior debut of Will Squires.

Squires had spent the last month or so on loan with non-league outfit Bamber Bridge. The 19-year-old had a beneficial experience of tasting men’s football, and was returned to Bloomfield Road with a glowing reference.

He was recalled on October 7, and last Tuesday he made his professional debut for the Tangerines. Squires started at centre-back and was part of the Blackpool side that beat Liverpool 5-2 in the EFL Trophy.

One person who was delighted to see Squire named on the team was club legend and under-21’s boss Dobbie. The Scotsman has played a role in helping develop Squires for first-team football and believes there is a pathway now from the academy to the first team.

“It was fantastic for him,” said Dobbie to the official club website.

“Will is one player who, since I’ve been in the building, you never have to ask him for anything.

“If he sees you in the morning, he helps you with the gear, always polite. But it’s what he does on the training field.

“He’s always focused, gives everything a hundred percent every day regardless of what you’re doing.

“I mean, you could ask him to do 20 laps of the pitch and he’ll do it to his best ability. That’s the kind of lad he is.”

Squires outing against Liverpool just his second involvement of a senior match-day squad having been an unused substitute against Nottingham Forest earlier this year.

The 19-year-old signed a professional contract with the club in May 2022, and his contract was extended earlier this summer after they took up a one-year option.

During his time with the academy, he won the Lancashire FA-Pro Youth Cup, and was part of the young Tangerines side that narrowly lost 3-2 to Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

Dobbie added: “Obviously he’s been in the academy since he was nine, so to see somebody make their debut that has worked so hard all his life so far was great and to be a little part of that was really pleasing.”

“I think it’s all about seeing that there is a path there. To get them on the pitch to show the fans that come and watch these games, what the young boys can do.”