Aldred: Time for Blackpool's players to stand up

The Seasiders have four games to avoid relegation to League Two, starting at Rochdale on Saturday.

Three of Pool’s final four are away and all the other clubs in the dogfight have at least one game in hand, making the Seasiders bookies’ favourites for the drop.

But Pool are still just a point from safety and centre-half Aldred insists it’s far from over – but he called on his team-mates to prove their worth.

He said: “We have massive games coming up and it’s in those games that big players step up.

“We are well aware we are in the bottom four and it’s so important we stick our chests out now.

“It’s about results now. We have to pick ourselves up and move on. The only way out is to win games.”

Before Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat by Colchester, Pool had won three of their previous four and Aldred hopes to recapture that form.

He said: “Going into last weekend’s game, we went on a run which saw us pick up 10 points in four games. If we can do that in our final four games, I’d like to think it will be enough.

“It was a case of digesting the Colchester game over the weekend but it’s a new day now. We have to move on.”

While Blackpool are fast approaching must-win territory, Aldred feels it’s important the players don’t panic but concentrate on what could be a defining game at Spotland.

“It’s important we don’t over-react,” said the 25-year-old. “There are only four games and we know we need points, but it’s not the last game and it’s not over.

“We need to learn from Saturday’s defeat and move on. It’s too late in the season to be beating ourselves up and feeling down. It’s so important we pick ourselves up quickly.”

Aldred has been virtually an ever-present for the Seasiders this season and is one of the few who can hold his head high.

Other teams’ games in hand mean Pool’s fate could be decided by results elsewhere but Aldred feels it’s important the players don’t think that way.

He added: “It’s important we focus on ourselves. We can’t really be looking at what everyone else is doing, even though they are winning.”