How Ben Mansford's appointment as Blackpool's chief executive impacts on Curtis Tilt's contract talks

Simon Grayson says he doesn't expect to see any further developments in the Curtis Tilt contract saga until Blackpool's new chief executive is in place.
Tilt's contract runs out at the end of the seasonTilt's contract runs out at the end of the season
Tilt's contract runs out at the end of the season
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Negotiations with the defender had been ongoing since July, when Grayson revealed that only a few "finer details" needed to be resolved.

But, three months on, the player and club are still to come to an agreement, with Tilt's current deal due to expire at the end of the season.

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It led to Grayson labelling the situation as "the longest-running saga" earlier in the season.

Asked for an update on talks by The Gazette today, Grayson said no progress is likely to be made until the start of November when new CEO Ben Mansford starts work.

The Pool boss said: “It’s just one of those situations where he hasn’t agreed to sign and the club has a stance on the level of where we are with the contract offer.

“Are negotiations carrying on? Probably.

“But I think these things will take care of itself when Ben Mansford starts in early November.

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“We’ll then have a chief executive in place who can go and make decisions and offer contracts to whichever players we’re talking to."

On the prospect of losing Tilt on a free transfer, Grayson said: “That’s what happens with a Bosman.

“We run the risk of Curtis leaving, but on the reverse of that we’ve brought in Sullay Kaikai on a free and others.

“It has its pluses and minuses.”

The centre-back had been offered new and improved terms with the Seasiders amid strong speculation linking him with a move away from Bloomfield Road for the second summer running.

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The 28-year-old, who was the subject of interest from Ipswich Town this time last year, was linked with Portsmouth and Rotherham United this time around.

Mansford is one of a handful of recent appointments behind the scenes at Bloomfield Road, with Linton Brown also being brought in as chief commercial officer.

The Gazette also understands former Celtic striker Tommy Johnson is due to take up a role of head of recruitment, having rejected offers from Celtic and Southend.

On the changes, Grayson said: “There’s been a lot of people here over the last few months that have now left the football club.

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“Simon has decided he needs to bring new people in and that’s just the work in progress we are as a football club.

“It’s happening off the pitch as well as on the pitch and it shows, but we’re moving in the right direction.

“We’re thinking positively but things won’t move so quickly that everything is rosy at the end of it, because there’s still a lot to be done.

“I’m sure over the next few weeks there will be other new appointments as well.”