Blackpool boss has an enjoyable headache

Gary Bowyer is expecting to have some more tough decisions to make when he names his Blackpool side to face Gillingham today.
Blackpool drew with Gillingham in November after Kyle Vassell had opened the scoringBlackpool drew with Gillingham in November after Kyle Vassell had opened the scoring
Blackpool drew with Gillingham in November after Kyle Vassell had opened the scoring

The Seasiders have the luxury of a fully-fit squad for virtually the first time this season, with the likes of Kelvin Mellor, Jim McAlister Mark Cullen all back in training and available for selection.

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The likes of Armand Gnanduillet have also given Bowyer a massive selection headache ahead of today’s match, having scored in his last two games – the second of which came off the bench.

Those goals have helped Blackpool on their way to their three straight wins, which have propelled them up into the top half of the League One table.

Bowyer said: “Last week was a brilliant week for us. I think it was the first time in 13 months that we managed to win three in a row.

“The players deserve an enormous amount of credit for their efforts and for their fitness levels as well.

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“To finish as strongly as we did on Saturday against Fleetwood, not just the last couple of minutes but the whole of the second half, is a credit to them.

“So they’ve had a well-earned couple of days off but we’ve got to go again against a Gillingham team that we went and watched on Tuesday night; it’s going to be a tough game down there.

“We said after the defeat to Oldham how there were people, including myself, talking about how we only needed one more win to be safe.

“That’s what we felt at the time but we changed that mindset, because we wanted to win as many as we could out of the remaining games.

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“That’s the same now for the last three; we want to win as many of them as we can.

“Last Saturday was very difficult because we had to leave people out of the team and out of the squad. I’d imagine that will be the same again this weekend.

“But with three games left you know one or two will probably pick up little niggles along the way which you won’t risk, because you don’t need to.

“So that could provide others with opportunities but the fact we have got a fully fit squad is a credit to everybody.”

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Gillingham are 16th in League One, six points clear of the bottom four.

Steve Lovell’s side have won just one of their last 11 games, a 3-1 win at Portsmouth back in March, and lost 1-0 to Rotherham United on Tuesday night.