Blackpool's new Sporting Director David Downes confirms head coach Neil Critchley and owner Simon Sadler are singing from the same hymn sheet in terms of recruitment

Sheffield Wednesday's former Head of Recruitment and Analysis confirmed that he has been in deep discussion with owner Simon Sadler and head coach Neil Critchley since his arrival at Bloomfield Road earlier in the month.

The League One newcomers have already welcomed three new recruits in the off-season – Albie Morgan, Matthew Pennington and Richard O'Donnell – but Downes, the son of ex-Seasiders winger Bobby, appreciates that work has only just begun.

"With Neil coming back to the club, he knows it, which gives everybody a really good head start," he identified.

"In the interim, certainly this summer, there's been a lot of change, so it was important that somebody came in who actually knew the football club, rather than it being too much change all at once.

"Neil is a football person, he loves talking about players, and he'd talk football all day long, so for me it's an easy relationship to get on with. We're looking forward to working together and supporting each other to be successful on the pitch."

Downes, who succeeds Chris Badlan in the role, added: "We've all come in at different times during pre-season so with Neil being here before it gives people at the club - especially in the recruitment department - an idea of what he wants in a player and what he looks like. That's given us a good head-start.

"We've had plenty of discussions around the squad, with players leaving at the end of their contracts and loan players going back, so we're pretty clear in what we want, what we need and what the players will look like in terms of attributes and experience."

Downes, who was born and raised in the town, is eagerly anticipating his new challenge with the Tangerines.

And he admits that the feeling around the place doesn’t reflect that of a recently relegated club, with everything bubbling away positively in the background.

"I'm really looking forward to it, everybody's been really good to me since I came in,” he said. “Credit to them because it doesn't have the feel of a relegated club, there's a lot of positivity."