Pool's transfer search ahead of 5pm deadline

Jacob Blyth joined Blackpool this week on loan

Football League clubs may sign loan players and free agents today, but after 5pm can bring in no more new faces this season.

Pool loaned striker Jacob Blyth from Leicester on Monday, with manager Neil McDonald hoping another “couple” would follow before the deadline.

And with time running out, the Pool boss hasn’t given up yet. “We made a lot of phone calls and that’s still on going,” said McDonald. “We are still trying to add to what we’ve got.”

With negative off-field issues rumbling on, very few clubs are willing to allow players to join the Seasiders.

It’s understood the goodwill Pool relied on in recent years has virtually run out, with many phone calls and requests drawing a blank.

McDonald’s frustration grew late last week, after a number of players told him they were unwilling to take a risk on his club. However, the boss felt last weekend’s climb out of the relegation zone could help.

He said: “Hopefully Saturday’s win can lift the gloom around the place a little.

“We have had a good away win, scored a couple of goals and moved up the table. Hopefully that will entice someone to come and give us a little bit of a hand.”

Pool are a goalkeeper down after Dean Lyness returned to Burton this week, though Kyle Letheren is available again after injury.

McDonald has signed 23 players since taking over a threadbare squad in the summer but has spoken about the difficulty of attracting talent.

He said: “We are always looking and have been all season.

“Our staff cover thousands of miles watching games. We’ve all been out covering as much of the country as we can.

“I’m working hard with Karl Oyston to try to improve the squad; if we can, then that’s great; if not, I’m happy to work with what we’ve got.”