A number of players are edging closer to a return to the first team
Want all the latest Blackpool FC news direct to your inbox? Share your email for the biggest headlines, transfer news and more
Blackpool will hope to welcome back a couple of faces at Bloomfield Road on Saturday as they take on Nottingham Forest.
Neil Critchley has had to deal with a number of injury concerns throughout the campaign but with a busy period of eight games in one month to come, players continue to step up their recoveries in a bid to play a part and offer further rotation options.
The Seasiders have continued their momentum in spite of some key absentees in the form of Keshi Anderson, Richard Keogh and Jordan Gabriel to name but a few and still hold aspirations of making a late push for the play-off places. A winning run will have to start up against Forest on Saturday if that is to become a realistic possibility and with players adding back into the ranks it could well boost those chances.
READ MORE: Ex-Man City goalkeeper Joe Hart reflects on Blackpool loan spell during perfect ten season
Two bounce games took place over the international break with a number of those who were on the injury table getting vital minutes under their belt ahead of the Championship run-in. Whether the players will be available as soon as the Forest game remains to be seen but Neil Critchley was keeping his options open ahead of the match.
Here is the full round-up of injury updates ahead of the game.
Keogh told BBC Radio Lancashire himself that he expects to make the Forest game prior to the international break and he is another player mentioned as potentially in contention for the weekend. Whether that comes too soon we will see but he is likely to be back in action within the week.
Another who got valuable minutes in a bounce game this past week and could be in contention for a return to the squad after the hamstring injury that left him out of action following the FA Cup defeat to Hartlepool.
Gabriel is not in contention for this weekend with the game coming too soon for him. He is slightly further behind the crop of players who have made real strides in their recovery progress but will likely be back in the squad within the next week or so.
Maxwell has been in full training for a week or so now taking part in a bounce game this week. He has stepped up recovery from the reocurrence of his quadricep injury and will likely provide competition for Dan Grimshaw in the coming weeks. He is one of the players potentially in contention for a return to the squad against Forest.
A bounce game gave Virtue his first real taste of action since March 2021 when he suffered his ACL injury. Neil Critchley will likely take it easy with reintroducing Virtue to first team action.
Garbutt has been taking part in training along with the rest of the side and is another player who is getting closer to returning to contention.
Ward is back on the grass having stepped up his recovery with alter-G (anti-gravity treadmill) running. He suffered an achilles injury in the away draw at Bournemouth in August 2021.
“Wardy’s behind Matty, so he’s been doing a little bit of running but that is alter-G running (anti-gravity treadmill) where it just takes a little bit of your body weight," Critchley said.
“So he’s starting to put a little more loading through his achilles but so far, so good again.
“He’s working so hard in the gym."
Carey now no longer requires surgery having suffered a metatarsal injury. He was originally scheduled in for surgery but a positive COVID test saw that shelved and the healing process in the interim has meant no operation is necessary. Carey will likely miss the remainder of the season.
Download the LancsLive app for free on iPhone here and Android here.
Don't miss a thing from the club you love! For all the latest updates on Blackpool FC, sign up for daily Blackpool FC content straight to your inbox every morning right here.