Blackpool boss delighted to revive Kevin Stewart and Kenny Dougall partnership for the first time since Wembley

The pair partnered one another in the centre of the park for Saturday’s 4-1 drubbing of Reading.

It was the first time they had played together since helping the Seasiders win promotion at Wembley in May of last year.

Since then, Stewart has been sidelined for much of the campaign with an ankle injury, but he now appears to be over the worst of that having featured in four of Blackpool’s last five games.

Having both midfielders available is a welcome boost for Pool, as their partnership was one of the key components of the club’s promotion from League One last season.

“If you had said to me we’d be coming to the end of February and it would be the first time we’d see Kenny and Kevin together I’d have been a little bit concerned,” Critchley told The Gazette.

“They were excellent against Reading though, the both of them.

“The workrate, the shift they put in, it’s not easy out there but they get a load of second balls, pick up a lot of bits and they get through a lot of tireless work that can go unnoticed.

“But it’s certainly appreciated by myself and the players.”

Dougall has been the one constant in Blackpool’s midfield this season.

He began the season partnering Ryan Wintle, but that ended when the 24-year-old was recalled from his loan by parent club Cardiff City.

The likes of Sonny Carey, Callum Connolly, Reece James, Ethan Robson and Grant Ward have all featured in that area of the pitch at one point or another this term.

While Dougall is happy to get on with the job in hand regardless of who his partner is, he admits Stewart’s return is a welcome one.

“Kev is a quality player so when he’s out you’re going to miss him,” he said.

“Whoever has played there this season has done well, so you could say we haven’t missed him as much as maybe we were expecting.

“But at the same time, you’re going to miss a player of his calibre and we’re happy he’s fully fit and back with us.

“Hopefully he will see out the rest of the season no problem.”