Simon Grayson: Players want to come to Blackpool again and my phone's red-hot

Simon Grayson was satisfied with his first week as Blackpool boss in Scotland
Picture: BLACKPOOL FC — Simon Grayson was satisfied with his first week as Blackpool boss in Scotland Picture: BLACKPOOL FC

Grayson explains scrapping of Spennymoor friendly

There is a far greater feeling of positivity around the club under the ownership of Simon Sadler and Grayson believes that should help in enticing players to sign on the dotted line.

The Pool boss joked: “Believe me, if you see the state of my phone and the charges I’ve gone through, I didn’t realise I was so popular. Everyone is coming out of the woodwork.

“Maybe in previous years Blackpool was the last port of call for out-of-contract players but now there’s a positive vibe around the club, and people and agents are ringing saying their clients want to play for this club again.

“We’re looking and talking all the time. We know certain areas of the pitch where we need to strengthen and we’ve certainly been given the backing to go and do that.

“I know the out-of-contract list and people have been texting me asking if there’s anything they can do to help me with players, whether that’s buying, loaning or frees.

“That’s a nice thing to know – that over the last 12 or 13 years as a manager I’ve built up some contacts.

“We’ve been working hard with the rest of the staff to get the right players who want to come here for the right reasons.”

Grayson spent his first week at the helm in Scotland with the rest of the squad for a six-day training camp.

There the players built up their fitness with sessions in St Andrews, while they also took in their first friendly of the summer at Dundee on Tuesday night.

“I think it’s been good,” Grayson added. “Everything got agreed at the weekend and then my bags were packed ready to go to Scotland.

“It was out on to the grass very quickly on Sunday night for the first session and then we had a double session Monday, a single session Tuesday and then the game.

“It’s been a whirlwind few days but I’m certainly positive to be back at the football club and I’ve settled in very quickly.

“There are some familiar faces in Phil Horner and one or two others, but I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen from the group.”

Blackpool play their second warm-up match at AFC Fylde tomorrow (7.45pm).