Left back Nick Anderton made his first appearance in a blue shirt in the Blackpool reserve game on Tuesday and it was a full-blooded display with the new arrival speaking afterwards at his delight at being back in action.
Head coach Chris Beech spoke yesterday about how close to being ready to start his new signing is.
“Nick’s the type of lad that will play on with a broken leg,” he said. “He would suggest he’s ready when he’s not ready. That’s just Nick Anderton, but it’s the sort of character I want.
“Players are completely different; he’s got an old-school mentality and modern traits, I’m really happy he’s here. If you asked Nicky he’ll be telling you already that he’s ready, so I’ll go with Nick on that one.
“He’s played that game [on Tuesday], he completed about four to five sessions, he did a couple of hard ones with us, and he’s done extra training with Dave the fitness coach as well.
“I spoke to him after the match the other day, which was on a really tough pitch, the opponents were young but you’ve still got to play them and play on it, and run around and do your thing on it.
“It’s probably more dangerous on that than on a pitch that our groundsman gets up to the high standards he does. I have no worry in Nick playing, and no worry in Nick not playing in supporting us in getting three points. It’s that character and environment I want to create.
“He’s of the sort of characters you want. People talk about character, application and attitude and it does mean a lot. Everybody makes mistakes in any job, but it’s how you deal with that that will determine where you end up.
“You’re unfortunate if you’ve not got what you want if you keep responding to mistakes in the right way. You obviously want to steer away from making big mistakes, but they always happen. We’re professional people working hard to eradicate those mistakes, but we’re also looking at mentality so we can respond to them better and faster.”
With midfielder Mo Sagaf having picked up an injury in the Tuesday game, he told us: “Mo has said he’s alright, but it’s happening too often.
“I told him, I said you’ve got some great support in the media, the media support you very well, and yesterday in his passing, I want it cleaner, crisper. He says his ankle’s good. I don’t know. In the game, he gets going after 30 minutes, plays really well from that point onwards then limps off with 10 to go. It’s hard to say go on then, Mo, go on.
“Jon Mellish has got a lovely black eye, proper black eye, it’s superb, best one I’ve ever seen. It’s funny because before the game I said I want stitches, Jon - when have you last seen a centre-half come off for stitches.
“When he came off and couldn’t open his eye I said I want stitches. He’s looking at me with one eye, but here’s still no stitches! He should be ok, it’s horrendous but he can see. It’s a good one.
“We have a few who have niggles but we’ll see how we go.”
