Gazette opinion: Charlie Adam’s move to Reading proves dreams don’t always come true

Could Charlie Adam have been the dream marquee signing? Perhaps, but yesterday’s news that the fans’ favourite has opted to sign for Championship side Reading proves that sometimes, dreams just don’t come true.

The arrivals of lifelong Pool fan Sadler as owner and Simon Grayson, a manager who has achieved promotion from League One on four occasions, combined with the return of one of the club’s all-time greats - all in one summer - would have been too much to handle. If anything it’s just greedy.

But in all seriousness, it was a transfer saga that dragged on for too long and became something of a circus at times, but there was no doubting it was top of the agenda for most Blackpool fans.

It almost seemed inevitable Adam would return when he rocked up for the friendly at AFC Fylde, taking in all the adulation from the Pool fans in attendance. He was clearly keen.

But it wasn’t to be and now is the time to draw a line under the whole charade and move on, because there is still plenty for Pool fans to be excited about for the upcoming season. Because ironically, this is the most anticipation there’s been ahead of a new campaign since Adam and co were readying themselves to line up in the Premier League nine years ago.

I’d politely argue the desire most Pool fans had for wanting Adam to make a sensational homecoming had a lot to do with romanticism, a hark back to those glory days under Ian Holloway, which is only natural.

But this is a club, now rid of the Oystons, that is finally looking forwards, not back.

That’s not to say Adam wouldn’t have brought something to Blackpool, because he quite clearly would have done. His quality on the ball alone would have been unrivalled in the third tier.

But does he still have the legs? Could Pool be successful with Adam, who turns 34 later this year, partnered alongside 30-year-old Jay Spearing in midfield? Would he have justified his inevitably high wages? They’re all questions we’ll never know the answers to.

Would the signing of Adam been a mark of intent and a show of ambition from the new owner? Potentially. But, the wages Adam will have demanded, the club might well be able to bring in another two, potentially three players for the same outlay.

I believe the club’s current policy of acquiring young and hungry players with bags of potential, of the ilk of Sullay Kaikai and Ryan Hardie, is the right way to go. Now is the time for the next generation of Pool favourites to come through.

“Hopefully these new players can make new memories” is a line from a certain Ian Evatt that struck a chord with me, speaking after Saturday’s friendly at Barrow.

The likes of Evatt, Adam, Taylor-Fletcher, Ormerod and so on will all remain in Blackpool folklore for eternity, nothing will alter that.

But their time, as memorable as it was, has come and gone. Now it’s time for the new breed to shine.