Andy Lyons is in contention for his Blackpool debut tomorrow after overcoming a ‘shock to the system’.
The former Shamrock Rovers star and PFA Ireland Young Player of the Year joined up with the Championship club in November.
He went to Spain for a warm weather training camp during the World Cup break but couldn’t officially play until January 1.
And with Callum Connolly suspended for tomorrow’s FA Cup third round clash with Nottingham Forest, Lyons will be considered.
Blackpool boss Michael Appleton told LancsLive: “Since Andy has come in there’s been a drastic change in him.
“I felt for him a little bit on the first couple of days when he first trained with us because he’d had two weeks off and he’d not done anything.
“And rightly so because he’s had a tough season over in Ireland and played a lot of football, playing in Europe.
“He went away with his girlfriend for two weeks and then he was back in training with us, so I think it was a bit of a shock to the system the first few days.
“But over a period of time, he’s acclimatised to that, his fitness levels have gone up and he looks part of the group.”
Quizzed on Lyons making his debut tomorrow with Connolly ruled out, Appleton said: “Luckily we have got Andy in the building, but you never know.
“January is an opportunity to reassess in various areas of the pitch and that’s what we’ll do.”
