Stephen Dobbie issues James Husband update after Blackpool beat Wigan
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The 40-year-old began life as the club’s interim boss with a 3-1 defeat to Luton on Easter Monday despite a much improved display.
With the Seasiders seven points adrift of safety with only five games remaining, it really is now or never if Blackpool are going to pull off an unlikely great escape.
Follow our blog for build-up, team news, live match updates and post-match reaction.
Blackpool v Wigan - live updates
Key Events
- FT: Blackpool 1-0 Wigan
- Stephen Dobbie takes charge of first home game
- Last chance for the Seasiders in bottom-of-the-table clash
Good afternoon
And welcome to today’s live blog.
Stephen Dobbie is preparing to take charge of his first home game this afternoon when Blackpool take on bottom side Wigan in a crunch encounter down at the wrong end of the Championship table.
Follow our blog for build-up, team news, live match updates and post-match reaction.
Match preview
Blackpool know it’s now or never if their faint, faint hopes of pulling off the great escape are to be realised.
Stephen Dobbie’s side face back-to-back home games this week, starting with bottom side Wigan this afternoon before West Brom making the trip to Bloomfield Road.
If the Seasiders are to maintain their Championship status, six points really are a must.
As it stands, Pool sit seven points adrift of safety with only five games remaining, meaning there’s a huge sense of urgency.
Things have gone so badly this season Blackpool would be sitting bottom of the table right now if it wasn’t for Wigan’s recent three points deduction.
The Latics, like the Seasiders, are praying for a miracle as their gap to safety stands at eight points.
Shaun Maloney’s side haven’t won in 16 away games and haven’t scored more than one goal in a game since, you guessed it, the 2-1 win against Blackpool at the DW Stadium back in November.
Thomas Bramall is the referee in charge of today’s game. He’s overseen 29 fixtures this season, dishing out 88 yellow cards in the process and just two reds.
He officiated Blackpool’s recent goalless draw against Burnley as well as another stalemate, this time against Birmingham City, back in December.
Top goalscorer Jerry Yates is “touch and go” for today’s game according to interim boss Stephen Dobbie.
The striker missed both games over Easter with a hamstring injury, leaving the Seasiders without a recognised number nine.
While a return against Wigan is still doubtful, the 26-year-old – who has netted 12 goals in league and cup this season – has made strides this week.
When asked about team news, Dobbie said: “The squad will be very similar.
“Jerry has been doing a lot with the physio, so that will be touch and go. Probably more likely not, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”
With Yates missing against Cardiff City and Luton Town, Blackpool turned to winger Morgan Rogers to play down the middle.
That’s because Shayne Lavery is still absent, albeit a return isn’t too far away, while Jake Beesley and Gary Madine are both sidelined for the rest of the season.
Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart and Tom Trybull also remain sidelined.
As for Wigan, Anthony Scully and Charlie Wyke are absent while Joe Bennett and Jordan Cousins are doubts.
Stephen Dobbie’s pre-match comments
“It’s going to be an absolute honour, to take charge of my first home game. As soon as you start coaching, this is where you want to get to.
“Obviously it’s just interim for the six games just now but walking out and standing in the dugout, it’s the next best thing to playing on the actual pitch.
“It’s obviously a dream. It’s why ex-players get into coaching because it’s the level they want to get to.
“We need the fans. I know as a player what they can bring to a 90-minute game.
“Even when we were 3-1 down against Cardiff, they were out of their seats and cheering the lads on. They could see the lads were attacking and trying to get a goal back.
“They will be massive for us on Saturday, so we’ve told the players to go and express themselves to get the fans out of their seats because when they see you doing that, they will drive you on.
“With the ball players, they play football because they can. So how do we get more out of them? How do we get the ball to them? That’s when you get the crowd excited and they’re singing.
“Hopefully we can then get the goals at the right moment.”
Opposition view
“It’s a huge game,” Shaun Maloney said.
“Every fixture has felt like that, but as we get closer to the end of the season that is magnified.
“We need to be looking to win four of our last five games if we want to stay up- we know what we need to do to give us the opportunity-and that starts this weekend.
“There’s going to be tension from both teams because it’s such a massive game for both teams, but we have to run more and fight harder than the opposition.
“In the moments when it really counts we have to be clinical.
“Defending in our own box has to be at the best level, and we have to take the chances we are creating.
“Blackpool are also fighting for their lives and we have to match that.
“In this league every game brings different challenges, whether that is tactical or physical, and I don’t see this one being any different to that.
“We have to outfight them and come out on top of every challenge- the fundamentals have to be the foundation for us.
“You can’t control the outside noise, and know that the players will hear some things.
“I need to show them when we are at our best without the ball, with it we can cause any team in this league problems- we just have to be more clinical in both boxes.
“If we take those chances then the external noise becomes irrelevant.”
How will the Seasiders line up?
Jerry Yates, who missed the two games over the Easter period through injury, is “touch and go” according to Blackpool’s interim boss.
Elsewhere, the squad is expected to remain relatively similar to the one that travelled to Luton Town on Monday.
With that in mind, here’s how we think the Seasiders could line up on Saturday afternoon...
Analysis
Blackpool have been handed a major boost ahead of today’s crunch encounter against bottom side Wigan Athletic.
Jerry Yates was a major fitness doubt after missing both games over the Easter period with a hamstring injury.
But after passing a late fitness test, the striker has been ruled fit and returns straight to the starting line-up.
Yates is one of three changes to the side that lost 3-1 to Luton Town in Dobbie’s first game in the dugout on Easter Monday.
Dan Grimshaw also makes his long-awaited return to replace Chris Maxwell in goal to make his first appearance since December 29, 2022.
Ian Poveda is the third and final change as part of a hugely attacking team selection.
Maxwell, Sonny Carey and CJ Hamilton are the three to drop down to the bench.
Youngster Brad Holmes, who has been in scoring form for Blackpool’s development squad, is also named among the substitutes.
Luke Garbutt, Dom Thompson and Kenny Dougall all miss out, while Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Shayne Lavery, Jake Beesley and Gary Madine remain sidelined through injury.
As for bottom side Wigan, they make three changes to the side that lost to Swansea City on Easter Monday as Omar Rekik, Thelo Aasgaard and Will Keane all come into the starting XI.