Gary Madine targets fourth successive promotion with Blackpool

Gary Madine assured Blackpool owner Simon Sadler that he wants to work for his club

Blackpool's forgettable first month of new decade

While his new club have slipped down to 15th in the League One table, the 29-year-old believes a promotion charge cannot be ruled out.

Madine said: “The gaffer says we want to go places. We don’t want to be in League One for much longer and neither do I.

“I’ve had three promotions in a row now, so I’m hoping to get number four this season.”

Madine completed his move to Bloomfield Road last week, signing for 18 months after having his contract cancelled at Cardiff City this month.

An experienced campaigner and a regular goalscorer at League One level, Madine rejoins the Seasiders having spent a brief loan spell with the club back in 2015, when he scored twice in 15 Championship games.

“It seems a totally different place now,” Madine added. “I spoke to the manager and he seemed really keen to bring me here, and he outlined his plans for where he wants the club to go.

“I thought, ‘That sounds a bit of me.’

“It’s nice to feel loved, especially after having an iffy two years living away from home.

“The phone hasn’t stopped ringing with Simon (manager Grayson) and the chief executive, so it’s good.

“I even spoke to the owner, who is a really upbeat man. He gave me a really good vibe.

“He said ,‘Break me in half and I’m Blackpool through and through’, so I told him I’d love to come and work for him.”

The forward signed for Cardiff for a rumoured £6m fee in January 2018 on the back of scoring 26 goals in 120 games for Bolton Wanderers.

The four-time promotion winner, who has 88 goals to his name from 398 career games, has also played for Sheffield Wednesday and Carlisle United.

Blackpool’s League One rivals Sunderland were also thought to be in the frame for his signature but it is the Seasiders who got their man.

Madine made his second Pool debut off the bench an hour into Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Lincoln City.

The striker doesn’t anticipate it taking too long to settle into his new surroundings, given he’s already close to a number of his team-mates.

He said: “Sometimes it can be hard settling into new places when you don’t know people but luckily I know a handful of the lads.

“People like Jak Alnwick, Jay Spearing, Liam Feeney and Mark Howard I know pretty well, so it should be easy to settle in.”