Summer signings are key to Blackpool's season says Oyston

Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston believes the club's chances in League One depend on how well they recruit this summer.
Gary Bowyer exceeded the club's expectations last seasonGary Bowyer exceeded the club's expectations last season
Gary Bowyer exceeded the club's expectations last season

The Seasiders have been left with a squad of 16 players after announcing their retained list last week, although they remain in discussions with Tom Aldred, Nathan Delfouneso and Sam Slocombe.

After the club let 10 players go, Oyston acknowledges it will be busy summer.

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“Everything depends on our recruitment,” he told The Gazette.

“We’ve obviously released a big number of players, which means we’ve got to recruit a big number.

“We’ve got to put all our efforts into recruitment, and that will largely determine how we do and what we’re capable of next season.

“We will try to recruit as best we can and Gary (Bowyer) and the team will try as hard as they can to do well again next season.

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“As for targets, we won’t be setting any because in my experience it’s pointless. You just have to do the best you can in every deal and every situation.”

Pool sealed an instant return to the third tier via the play-offs, a remarkable turnaround after back-to-back relegations.

Oyston admits he didn’t expect Bowyer to make so much progress so quickly.

“It went one better than stopping the rot, which is what we set out to do at the end of last season,” he said.

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“It was another fantastic day out for the club. It’s definitely the way to get promoted but it’s an awful way to lose out, so you have to feel for Luton, Carlisle and Exeter.

“Gary and I agreed at the start of the season that we would have been delighted to be in contention for the play-offs. Gary had a lot of work to do in terms of getting players in but he managed it well.

“Then he had to release players straight after the final. I think letting people go is the part of football that sorts the men from the boys.

“It would be so difficult to make the wrong decisions for the right reasons.

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“I think you have to be very single- minded and make the right decisions for the club when it comes to predicting who’s going to play and who isn’t next season.

“It’s not a part of the job I would relish, that’s fair to say.”

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