A day that promised so much, but delivered little - but Blackpool fans can be happy with how transfer deadline day transpired

In the five-and-a-bit years of doing this job, I’ve never known such a manic deadline day result in so little.
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Blackpool see off deadline day interest in Josh Bowler from Bournemouth and Nott...

And yet, ask most Blackpool fans and they’ll tell you they’re pretty pleased with how the club’s January transfer window transpired.

The number one priority for the vast majority of the month was to bring in a central midfielder and that wasn’t achieved despite numerous attempts to do exactly that, so there’s bound to be a smidgen of disappointment.

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But as we crept closer to deadline day - a farcical, panic-ridden day, if you’re in any doubt - it soon became clear Blackpool’s priorities had changed, for the supporters at least, because it became all about keeping hold of star man Josh Bowler

On the eve of deadline day, I published a poll on Twitter where I asked supporters what they would rather see happen: Bowler staying or the club getting a move over the line for a “star” central midfielder, i.e. an Ollie Norburn or a Cameron Brannagan.

It was a rudimentary and basic question which ignored the complexities of Blackpool’s overall transfer plans and, in a perfect world, the Seasiders would have done both anyway.

But, of the 1,000 Pool fans that voted, 90 per cent said they’d rather keep Bowler, which gives you a flavour of the strength of feeling among the fanbase.

The main takeaway from deadline day was the retention of Josh BowlerThe main takeaway from deadline day was the retention of Josh Bowler
The main takeaway from deadline day was the retention of Josh Bowler
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I don’t blame them, either. Bowler is a special player, the sort of talent that doesn’t come around very often.

Yes, there are other wingers out there, but Bowler gives you something different. He gets you off the edge of your seat, something very few players are able to do.

I think there’s a general acceptance the club will have to cash in on him at some point - the 22-year-old clearly wants to test himself at a higher level and he certainly deserves to, because he’s now beginning to demonstrate the talent that persuaded Everton to splash out good cash to prise him from QPR in 2017.

But even if Neil Critchley’s side only get another four months out of him and what, another 18 games, it feels like it would be worth it.

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The situation is bound to crop up again during the summer. While Bowler is out of contract at the end of the season, the club do hold the option to extend by 12 months.

If the winger’s form continues the way it is, which seems inevitable, who knows, bigger clubs and bigger bids may come calling.

And while Morgan Rogers would have been a very able replacement, I’m sure, and might have even offered more in terms of goals and assists, he wouldn’t have brought the X-Factor that Bowler does.

Blackpool fans should know, they’ve had enough wing wizards down the years to know a special talent when they see one.

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For the Seasiders to be turning down bids of £2/3m shows just how far the club has come.

Supporters should be under no illusion though, to make things work in the long run the club will have to sell talents like Bowler and Marvin Ekpiteta. Simon Sadler has been pretty honest and up-front about that.

To follow the Brentford model, the club will have to recoup some cash at some point and then look to reinvest it on other up-and-comers.

Sadler can’t continue to invest large sums of money, as he’ll have to do in the coming years with the training ground and the East Stand, and see nothing back in return.

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The club are doing things the right way by trying to keep a tight ship and run a sustainable business, so any talk of selling an asset like Bowler being “unambitious” is pure laziness.

Had Bowler departed and Pool immediately reinvested that money in Brannagan, Norburn and Rogers, that would have made sound business sense, right?

Some will argue the Seasiders ought to have gone all out this window and offered what Oxford were asking for Brannagan. It’s easy to do that when it’s not your cash, of course.

But, they might have a point, especially as this is the second window now that the Seasiders have failed to get their man.

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It’s understood Blackpool’s final bid last night was in the region of £1m, while his release clause - which reportedly expired prior to deadline day - stood at around the £1.2m or £1.3m mark.

Given Brannagan is a player Critchley is clearly fond of, it was hoped Pool would push the boat out for the former Liverpool man. But again, it’s easier said than done and perhaps we don’t know all the facts.

There is, of course, an argument to make Pool didn't necessarily need to go all out this month and bring in a statement signing. Safety looks to be secured, after all, with a 17-point buffer to the bottom three.

That’s a defeatist approach if I’ve ever seen one, but I can see the merits in it.

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It puts a bit of pressure on the club to get it right during the summer, but that’s always a far more sensible time to do deals anyway and it gives them license to find the right man (or men) for central midfield.

One other positive of Blackpool’s window was their success in clearing the decks and trimming the wage bill with the departures of Teddy Howe, Bez Lubala, Oliver Sarkic and Joe Nuttall - four players that weren’t featuring for the club and realistically weren’t going to moving forwards.

Speaking to The Gazette at the start of December, former assistant Stuart McCall suggested January would be a month where players would be moved on as Blackpool’s squad was “top heavy”, and he was proved right.

Daniel Gretarsson and Demetri Mitchell were surprise departures, in a sense. But, while they weren’t in the same boat as some of the other players mentioned a couple of paragraphs up, game time was still going to be limited and them leaving won’t have a huge effect on the first-team.

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They have been replaced, too, with Jordan Thorniley returning to cover Gretarsson’s exit and Charlie Kirk providing what many expect to be an upgrade on Mitchell.

The only major disappointment was losing Ryan Wintle earlier than anticipated when he was recalled to his parent club Cardiff City at the start of the window. But that’s always the risk with loan players.

But again, the club have mitigated that loss as much as they could with the return of Ethan Robson, who by all accounts has been playing some impressive football for MK Dons this season, a team fighting for promotion from League One.

In terms of players coming in, Jake Beesley fits the profile of what the club want from their signings, i.e. a striker with untapped potential who can improve under the guidance and tutelage of Critchley and his team.

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Owen Dale has talent but needs a run of games to get up to speed, while Kirk - as touched upon before - is a player with real quality who just needs to settle down, knuckle down and focus on his football after a tough spell with Charlton.

Yes, Blackpool remain light in midfield. But Kevin Stewart is back and fingers crossed he remains fit. Callum Connolly and Kenny Dougall proved against Fulham they’re up to the job, Robson now provides another option and Reece James isn’t too far away.

Blackpool might have to find a way to battle through, but under Critchley they always do.

Blackpool’s completed January business:

IN

Jake Beesley (permanent from Rochdale)

Owen Dale (loan move from Crewe made permanent)

Ethan Robson (recalled from MK Dons loan)

Jordan Thorniley (recalled from Oxford loan)

Charlie Kirk (loan from Charlton with view to buy)

OUT

Ryan Wintle (recalled by Cardiff)

Tyreece John-Jules (recalled by Arsenal)

Teddy Howe (contract cancelled by mutual consent, since joined Barnet)

Demetri Mitchell (joined Hibernian permanently)

Oliver Sarkic (cancelled contract by mutual consent)

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Daniel Gretarsson (joined Polish side Slask Wroclaw permanently)

Bez Lubala (joined Northampton on loan)

Joe Nuttall (joined Scunthorpe permanently)

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