Blackpool FC: Neil Critchley throws down the gauntlet to former Manchester City star

Neil Critchley has laid down a big challenge to Blackpool's first-choice goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw as he continues to play a key role in his development.

The 25-year-old has been ever present in League One so far, and has got six clean sheets in 12 games which translates to a shutout every other game. He and Barnsley goalkeeper Liam Roberts have a 50% clean sheet percentage and are the obvious first-choices under their managers.

Grimshaw has now been tasked with the task of keeping both Richard O'Donnell and Mackenzie Chapman from displacing him, and being ever present from now until the season's end.

Critchley said: “I think this season he's ready, he's at an age now where he needs to be a number one, settled and playing every week. What he hasn't done yet is play 46-games in a season and that is his next sort of challenge.

“Physically, mentally you've got to have concentration and be prepared every single game. Grimmy if you speak to him, you'll see a humble boy who is confident but knows he's got more to come and he wants to get better and you can feel it. I think this season, he's starting to show what a good goalkeeper he could be in the future.”

He was brought to Bloomfield Road in July 2021 by Critchley after leaving Manchester City. He hadn’t been exposed to much football at the time of his arrival with only loan spells in the non-league and out in Belgium.

Grimshaw featured seven times for Hemel Hempstead Town in the National League South before being sent out to Belgian outfit Lommel who had been a feeder club to his parent team Manchester City. He featured 10 times and kept two clean sheets whilst away in a foreign country during the COVID-19 pandemic but benefitted from the experience.

Blackpool’s current style-of-play under their manager requires all players to be comfortable in possesion and that includes the goalkeeper. Grimshaw’s time with Manchester City during the early stages of his career has helped mould him into the goalkeeper that his boss requires.

Critchley added: “He's got a real understanding of how to build the play from the back and that's credit to his time at Manchester City when he was younger. He's got really good feet but first and foremost he's a good goalkeeper.

“He keeps the ball out of the back of the net and has made some big saves for us in important moments. He's got a calmness and assurance about him in goal. Sometimes the opposition target him but he deals with it all the time.

“He makes good decisions in the goal and I like a calm goalkeeper and a calm presence. It transmits it to the defenders in front him, he's not someone who does mad crazy things and makes crazy decisions on the pitch. I think with experience and maturity that will improve as well.”