Neil Critchley pledges not to take EFL Trophy lightly as Blackpool prepare for group stage opener against Barrow

The Seasiders get their campaign under way tonight with the opening group G game at home to League Two newcomers Barrow (7pm).

The Trophy has been much criticised by some supporters, who feel it has been devalued by the introduction of academy teams from Premier League clubs – Leeds United Under-21s are in Blackpool’s group and visit Accrington Stanley tonight.

But Critchley is keen to develop a winning mentality at Bloomfield Road and says his side will be going all out to progress as far as they can.

Pool’s head coach told The Gazette: “I think any competition that gives you the chance of going to Wembley has to be taken seriously.

“We want to build a mentality at the club, where every game is important and every game we want to win.

“We’ll be picking a team that I feel can win on Tuesday. We want to get off to a good start in the competition and try to get into the knockout phase.

“With the standard of work we set for each other every single day, we have to take that into the games and that will be no different on Tuesday.”

Ex-Blackpool coach David Dunn returns to Bloomfield Road for the second time since leaving the club in July to manage Barrow.

The Cumbrian outfit lost 2-1 to Pool in a friendly last month, when Jordan Thorniley and Matty Virtue scored.

Barrow will be looking ahead to their League Two curtain-raiser against Stevenage on Saturday – their first Football League outing in almost half a century.

Blackpool legend Ian Evatt guided the club to the National League title last season before leaving to take the manager’s job at Bolton Wanderers.

Barrow got their competitive action under way at the weekend with a cruel penalty shootout defeat to Derby County in the first round of the Carabao Cup, having done well to hold their Championship opponents to a goalless draw at Pride Park.

Critchley added: “Dunny has had a similar experience to me in terms of losing on penalties in the Carabao Cup, but that’s a great result for them to draw 0-0 with a Championship side.

“That shows you a little bit about them. They will be hard to beat, organised and tough to break down.

“Dunny has good support there, with (assistant manager) Rob Kelly joining them, so they will know what they’re doing and will have a good game-plan. We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them.”

Blackpool are unlikely to risk Virtue, who missed Saturday’s friendly at Liverpool with a hamstring injury suffered in the Carabao Cup game against Stoke City.

Oliver Sarkic may not feature either after missing the weekend trip to Anfield.