'It's been tough': Blackpool's Jake Beesley opens up on injury woes following welcome return to training

The 25-year-old has yet to kick a ball this season after suffering a stress fracture of the foot during the summer.

But the striker is now back in training and is currently away in Spain with the Blackpool squad as part of the club’s six-day warm weather training camp.

“It’s good to come out here with the lads, be back involved with it and be back in training,” Beesley told Tangerine TV.

“Obviously it’s lovely pitches, lovely facilities, so I’m happy to be back in the mix.

“Everything is going to plan so far. I’ve had to train on my own for three or four weeks but now I’m just starting to come back into full training, so it’s going well so far and hopefully I can carry on smoothly.”

Beesley added: “The end of last season finished really well for me personally and it made me hungry to come back, get in the team and kick on again.

“But it’s been a really tough four or five months. It’s been the longest injury I’ve had in my career so mentally it’s been really hard, so I’ve just had to try and keep positive with it all, do everything to a tee.

“Fingers crossed, everything has gone well so far so hopefully I can kick on and stay fit between now and the end of the season and try and contribute to the team, which I feel like I’m raring to do because I haven’t been able to contribute as much as I’d like to.”

The timing of Beesley’s injury was particularly cruel, given it coincided with the arrival of new boss Michael Appleton.

“The injury I got was just unlucky,” the striker said.

“I obviously wanted to impress the new manager when he came in. It didn’t happen but this is my time to try and impress him in training and the games we’ve got coming up leading to the Birmingham game.

“Hopefully I can impress and show him what I can do.”