Neil Critchley: Blackpool contract wasn't a tough decision

The club’s head coach put pen to paper on a new four-and-a-half-year contract on Friday, keeping him at Bloomfield Road until the summer of 2026.

The news proved very popular with Blackpool’s fans, who have long been calling for the Seasiders’ hierarchy to reward Critchley with a new deal.

While Critchley took a different approach, opting to play down the significance of his new contract, he was nonetheless delighted to make such a commitment.

“It’s not big news, it’s just news,” Critchley maintained.

“I’m pleased the fans are happy, but the biggest news is us as a club and how we’re developing all the time.

“I like to think we go about our business quietly. We don’t shout from the rooftops but we’re getting better.

“I get fantastic support from the staff; Simon Sadler (owner), Brett Gerrity (director), John Stephenson (head of football operations), Ben Mansford (chief executive), all of them, and it makes my job so easy.

“It’s always a collective effort. I’m part of a special team and that is why it was an easy decision to commit my future to this football club and help us improve both on and off the pitch.

“Your work does your talking for you and that’s how I’ve always worked.

“The biggest thing you can have in football is the respect of people you’re working for and the players.

“If you’ve got that, I’m always of the belief that good things will happen to good people.

“If you’re good at your job, people will recognise that and that’s been rewarded this week and I’m delighted about that.

“I’m grateful about everything I’ve been given here but I repeat, it’s about the club and it’s about us moving forward and improving on and off the pitch.

“We’ve got more things we can improve and we’ve got ambitions off the pitch too, which is what we will do.

“If we do that, then the club will move in the right direction which is why I came here in the first place.”

Critchley was speaking after Blackpool equalised late on to draw 1-1 against Swansea City on Saturday.

The result keeps the Seasiders in 10th place in the Championship.

“We’re just aiming to improve and get better all the time,” Critchley added.

“When you come to a place like Swansea and play how we played and deservedly get a point, then I think we’re quite rightly where we are in the division.

“We’re competitive, we’re in every game, so who knows where that will take us?

“This game is gone now and we’ve got West Brom at home on Tuesday night, so it doesn’t get any easier.”

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