Vassell aims to hit new heights with Blackpool

Released by Posh last month, the 23-year-old became new Pool boss Gary Bowyer’s second signing in three days, following fellow frontman Jamille Matt, and has agreed a one-year deal with the option of a further 12 months.

Vassell told the club’s official website: “This is probably my most important decision in football and I’m delighted to be here.

“I’ve had a bit of a lull in my career, a bit of a plateau, and so I want to get back to where I want to be in my career.”

Bowyer said of his second Pool recruit: “Kyle has some real power behind him and a great desire to succeed.

“He offers us a different option in attack and we’ll be working hard on the training ground to bring out the best in his performances.”

Vassell was a youth players at Norwich and Brentford, then played for a host of non-league clubs before Peterborough snapped him up from Bishop’s Stortford in November 2013.

He scored his first professional goal against Swindon in the southern final of that season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, which Posh went on to win.

Born in Milton Keynes, Vassell made an outstanding start to the 2014-15 season, scoring five goals in his opening six League One games, but he would not find the net for Posh again and ended that season on loan with League Two Oxford.

The past season saw a loan spell with Dagenham and Redbridge (three goals in 12 games) immediately followed by one at Shrewsbury, where Vassell came under fire from fans as he failed to score in 13 games for Micky Mellon’s side.

Having come off the bench late in the Shrews’ 3-2 win at Bloomfield Road in February, Vassell is delighted to be back in Blackpool to kick-start his career.

He added: “I want to play well, win games, get promoted and score goals, and I’m looking forward to being here.”

As for his first impressions of boss Bowyer, the striker added: “It was more about how he saw me and wanted me to fit into the team.

“I love what he had to say. It was not a hard decison and it was very quick. Hopefully the gaffer and I can get on well.

“As a striker it’s about regularly scoring goals and putting in consistent performances.

“The club has gone down, and so hopefully I can bounce back and get to where I want to be, and the club can as well.”

AndVassell felt he ended the season in decent form, despite goals proving elusive.

“The one (loan spell) at Shrewsbury was the best I had. I didn’t get the record I needed of goals but I played consistent football and I played well, which I think has contributed to me being here.”