Opinion: Departing Blackpool striker leaves big hole - but one main issue can be addressed

The 23-year-old may not have been the most-prolific League One striker in front of goal, but he had other things in his locker.

His first season in Tangerine was tough. He faced injury issues in his first few months, and then failed to cement a place in the team once he was available again.

There were signs of the player he could be, with Bristol Rovers away last January being the most notable, but ultimately he had been a disappointment in his first 12 months after moving from Swansea City.

Over the summer, he did everything right to put himself in the best position to show the Seasiders faithful the best of him.

He did extra sessions in the off-season, and looked good in a couple of the friendlies. It was a little surprising there was talk of him moving on, but the club did the right thing ensuring that he stayed.

The appointment of Steve Bruce back in September was the making of Joseph. A change of approach allowed the former Wigan Athletic youngster to play to his strengths - with his performances epitomising what the new head coach wanted.

His goalscoring wasn’t consistent, but you were always guaranteed a shift from him. Unlike the other attacking options at Bloomfield Road, he had both pace and power, which has allowed him to stretch some of the best defences in the league.

He’s been able to complement a number of other strikers, with the most notable two being loanee Dom Ballard at the start of Bruce’s reign, and Ashley Fletcher in the last month.

With both players he’s adapted his game slightly to match their strengths, and has always done what’s been best for the team.

The farewell he’s received from fans shows how much he’s given - and how successful he’s been in showing people what he’s about as a player after his difficult first campaign.

A classy social media message from Joseph also shows what the club has meant to him, and in particular Bruce in recent months.

There’s no denying the hole he has left. The other strikers currently at the club don’t have the same athleticism, and getting someone to match his attributes this month is going to be a real challenge.

Nonetheless the hefty fee, which is reported to be around £2.5million, does play into the hands of the Seasiders.

While Joseph is a big loss, that kind of money could never be turned down - and neither could the opportunity that presented itself to him on an individual level.

It should provide Bruce with a real war chest to push the club forward. The head coach has admitted he’ll only spend money on the right players, and is willing to be patient.

That sentiment is really important, this money shouldn’t be wasted, but nor should this season be left to just wither away.

Good recruitment this month could lay the foundations for the long-term future, and if the current gap between themselves and the play-offs proved too much regardless, then you’re already set to dive into next season.

Blackpool need to add more than one striker in this window and the next. The biggest dilemma they should be facing, is whether they try to find the next Kyle Joseph now or if they add something completely different - which is someone who will get goals.

They either need to find someone that can be close to Joseph’s energy, or someone that will better his goals return, and then use the leftover to strengthen other areas in the summer,

The Seasiders fumbled finding a replacement goalkeeper for Dan Grimshaw back in August, in terms of signing a ready-made number, but they can’t really afford to do the same concerning a striker this month.