Bowyer's Blackpool bonding over the border

Pool are currently in Scotland for a week-long camp at the same St Andrew’s base they used 12 months ago.

They will play one behind-closed-doors friendly while north of the border but for Bowyer the training camp is about more than just building up fitness in preparation for the club’s return to League One.

“First and foremost it’s a great location,” he said. “The facilities there are fantastic for us, so it’s a real positive.

“We went there last season and had a really good camp. The togetherness and bringing the group together – it really works.

“The players who were already here have not had much time off this summer, so we’re able to go into some good work quite quickly.

“With the new boys it’s about integrating them into the group and there’s no better way to do that than by going away on a trip like this.

“They’ve then got to go and do their initiation and sing their songs, so you finish the week off with that and see who could potentially be the next contestant on The X Factor.”

The camp comes ahead of the Seasiders’ first pre-season friendly against Southport at Haig Avenue on Saturday week.

Pictures have circulated on social media of diggers arriving at Pool’s Squires Gate training ground to demolish the buildings there.

It comes after Bowyer suggested in a TV interview last week that work on the club’s training ground was imminent.

The club did not wish to comment when asked about the plans by The Gazette.

The Seasiders have been linked with former Fleetwood Town midfielder Jimmy Ryan, who is now a free agent.

The 28-year-old failed to sign the new contract on the table at Highbury and Town’s offer was withdrawn shortly before Ryan’s contract expired last week. The Liverpudlian spent the past two seasons with Town, making 59 League One appearances.