Former Blackpool defender tips Seasiders to beat another of his old employers at Wembley

The defender, who started his career with the Seasiders, making almost 200 appearances between 1980 and 1986, also spent a brief spell at Sincil Bank during the mid-1990s.

His heart very much lies with Blackpool, who are bidding to clinch a return to the Championship.

“That’s Oxford and Lincoln they’ve now faced in the play-offs, two of my former clubs,” Greenall told The Gazette.

“I was at Lincoln for about a year-and-a-half but it wasn’t a great time if I’m being honest, but I still enjoyed it to an extent.

“I will be cheering for Blackpool on Sunday and I’m looking forward to seeing the game.”

Despite finishing behind Neil Critchley’s men, Lincoln took four points off the Seasiders during the regular campaign, winning 3-2 at Bloomfield Road before fighting back from two goals down to draw 2-2 in the return game.

Greenall expects it to be another tight encounter when the two sides meet at Wembley this weekend.

“I see it as being a close affair, there could be nerves there,” he said.

“We talk about the play-offs and being nervous but this is Wembley, this is different.

“It can happen to players, no doubt, but the way I’ve seen Blackpool this season, where we’ve all said they can’t carry it on and carry it on, well they’ve proven to everybody that they can now and I do expect them to go and win, although I do think it will be a tight game.”

Greenall doesn’t have great memories of the play-offs, although he has tasted success in a Wembley final.

“I played in the first set of play-offs (with Gillingham), the ones that weren’t played at Wembley. Swindon beat us in the final,” he explained.

“I played in the play-offs with Wigan as well but we didn’t get through.

“As for Wembley, I’ve played there once and, fortunately, it was the last season I played in.

“It was the Auto Windscreen final with Wigan and we beat Millwall 1-0 with two or three minutes to go, so I had a great experience and it was a fantastic day.

“I think it will lift the Blackpool players, I really do. It’s not about how many fans are there and it’s not about the noise they make, it’s about just knowing there will be people there.

“When you walk out, it changes the whole tone of it for players, because over the last 12 months, I’ve seen players walking out having a chat – not messing about, but having a bit of banter.

“Well, that doesn’t happen before games and it shouldn’t really happen before games, but when supporters are there, it doesn’t happen so it should focus the players a lot better.”

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