Blackpool squad will put in the hard yards from day one

The Seasiders began their preparations for the upcoming League One campaign with some vital fitness work last Wednesday, while the full squad also took part in a pier-to-pier run on Friday.

Devitt, who signed on a free transfer from Carlisle United last month, admits no-one enjoys the hard work of pre-season but says it is something that has to be done.

He said: “Everybody is a bit nervous because you don’t know what running we’re going to be doing.

“I wouldn’t say anyone enjoys doing pre-season, I think they’d be lying if they said that.

“But it’s mainly just getting yourself fit as possible for that first game. I think, nowadays, not many people have a break.

“The first two or three weeks you don’t do much, you get away and spend some time with your family.

“But from that point onwards you’re ticking over and getting yourself ready for the first day.

“You don’t want to come in and feel sick, but you don’t see those days any more. When I first started I think everyone was getting sick, but I think everybody knows they have to come back in good shape now.

“You don’t want to come back in and not be able to do the stuff the other lads are doing because it’s going to set you back.

“It’s your own pride as well, wanting to do well and being ready for that first game.”

The attacking midfielder, who scored 12 goals in League Two last season, penned an initial two-year deal with the Seasiders with the option to extend by a further 12 months.

And the former Morecambe man says it was Terry McPhillips’ ambition to get the club into the Championship that attracted him to Bloomfield Road.

“Once I spoke with the manager and heard about his ambitions for the club it was a pretty easy decision to sign here,” he said.

“It was all sorted pretty quickly. It’s a club that is going in the right direction and I don’t think he (McPhillips) wants to stay in League One for the next few years.

“The ambition is to get into the Championship and see what happens and that very much matches my ambitions, so I can’t wait to get started.

“Once I spoke to the manager there was no one else really that could turn my head to be honest with you.

“I spoke to Ryan Edwards as well when he was coming and he said exactly the same. We both knew what decision we wanted to make.”