At one point this summer, Blackpool were preparing for their second campaign in the Championship with Neil Critchley bidding to improve on last season’s excellent 16th-placed finish.
However, Critchley eventually moved to Aston Villa to become Steven Gerrard’s new assistant, leading to Michael Appleton being given his second opportunity in the Bloomfield Road dugout.
While it has taken time and patience for Appleton to add to his first-team squad, three smart additions in the form of Dominic Thompson, Rhys Williams and Lewis Fiorini have now been made with Theo Corbeanu on the brink of joining them from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
There will be some supporters who are ruing the untimely departure of Critchley at a time when he appeared to be building something special with the Tangerines, but there are fresh reasons for optimism this time around.
Although Blackpool posted three wins and three defeats during pre-season, Appleton will take encouragement from pushing Everton last weekend before succumbing to a 4-2 defeat.
After eight years away from the dugout, Paul Ince’s managerial career had looked all but done, but he was surprisingly appointed as the interim boss of Reading during the back end of last season.
While Ince posted just four wins and three draws from 14 games, it was enough to keep Reading in the Championship, the powers-that-be being suitably impressed to hand the former Blackpool boss an extended stint.
Some experienced names have been brought to the club, including former Royals forward Shane Long, while much is expected from Nottingham Forest loanee Tyrese Fornah.
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Reading enjoyed a solid pre-season, claiming a 1-1 draw with West Ham United and only losing 2-0 and 2-1 respectively to Benfica and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The likes of Thompson and Corbeanu, should he be signed in time, are likely to start their Blackpool stints on the substitutes’ bench.
However, Williams and Fiorini are expected to feature in a team which could be similar to the one named for the Everton defeat.
