Goalkeeper Chris Maxwell pledges future to Blackpool by penning new long-term contract

The 29-year-old arrived at Bloomfield Road during the January transfer window, signing a short-term deal until the end of the season.

In the absence of the injured Jak Alnwick, the former Fleetwood Town shot stopper went on to make nine appearances for the club before the season was suspended.

Maxwell, along with club captain Jay Spearing and defender Ollie Turton, was offered a new deal by the club as confirmed in the recently published retained list.

The shot stopper has now put pen to paper on a new contract which will run until the end of the 2021/22 season.

The deal also includes an option to extend by a further 12 months.

“I’m delighted to be staying at this great club for a further two years,” Maxwell said.

“Since I came to the club in January, I’ve been welcomed with open arms and it’s great that my future has been secured at a club with so much ambition and a real plan in place to progress.

“I’d like to thank Simon Sadler, Ben Mansford and Neil Critchley for showing the faith in me to secure this deal, and I’m really looking forward to continuing what is an exciting journey at this club.”

Maxwell had his contract cancelled at Preston North End in order to make the move to Bloomfield Road in January.

He had previously been on loan with Scottish side Hibernian, where he had made 17 appearances.

But he found himself out of the side following the appointment of former Sunderland boss Jack Ross as the club’s new manager in November.

Maxwell became the first player to move between Preston and Blackpool - or vice versa - since Andy Little signed for the Seasiders on loan during the 2015/16 season.

With Myles Boney, Mark Howard and Christoffer Mafoumbi all being released, the Seasiders will have been keen to bolster their goalkeeping department.

Alnwick, meanwhile, is now available on a free transfer should Neil Critchley wish to sign the former loanee on a permanent basis.

The 26-year-old, who has been released by the Scottish giants, was Blackpool’s first-choice keeper this season until he injured his arm in the Boxing Day defeat to Accrington Stanley.

He was initially ruled out for three months but was still unavailable when the country went into lockdown.

While Simon Grayson was still in charge, Alnwick had been linked with a permanent switch to Blackpool during the January transfer window.

However, his untimely injury dashed any hopes of a permanent move south of the border at that point.

The Seasiders subsequently turned to Maxwell, who was brought in on a short-term deal until the end of the season.

Blackpool and Alnwick reportedly discussed a pre-contract agreement, which would have seen the former Port Vale and Scunthorpe United shot-stopper sign for the club in July.

The picture was muddied even further when Grayson was sacked in February as it was Pool’s former manager who had been pushing for Alnwick to be signed permanently.

The former England Under-20 international started Blackpool’s first 22 League One fixtures of the campaign, conceding 24 goals and keeping seven clean sheets.

Alnwick joined Rangers in 2017 but has only made a handful of appearances.