Blackpool CEO discusses importance of staying in the Championship ahead of Cardiff City six-pointer

That’s the message from the club’s chief executive Ben Mansford, who insists plans are in place to ensure a steady ship regardless of divisional status.

As it stands, the club are heading back to League One unless Mick McCarthy is able to oversee a miraculous run between now and the end of the season.

The Seasiders find themselves four points adrift of safety ahead of Good Friday’s six-pointer against relegation rivals Cardiff City.

In a recent interview with BBC Radio Lancashire, Mansford said: “We all know we want to stay in the Championship so it’s really important (to stay up), but we’ll have plans. We’re working through that.

“We have to recruit well and synergise between the academy and the first-team. Those plans are ongoing.

“We know what’s going on with the pitch this summer, we’ll improve that. We’ll improve the pitches at Squires Gate. We’ve got planning permission for the first phase of the East Stand and we’re working with the architects for phase two.

“We’ve spent a lot of time with Blackpool Council, the development group has kicked on this year, Rob Apter is now part of the first-team squad. There’s young players like Tayt Trusty going to League Two, Jack Moore is kicking on, we’ve started to pay fees for 15 and 16 year old players from other League clubs. There’s a lot going on at the club.

“But ultimately we know it’s a results business and people want to win on a Saturday. But I can assure people these two months are as important as any two months and everyone is working as hard as they can to ensure we’re not just planning for the next two months or the next season, but we’re ensuring there’s infrastructure and there’s millions of pounds being invested for the next 50 years.

“These two months are important because we want to stay in the Championship. We know the difference. It’s the fifth best league in the world.

“But if we’re not, we go down and we come back stronger.”