From the Blackpool Gazzette:
SIX years after Pool met Charlton in the FA Cup, Simon Grayson takes his players back to the Valley tomorrow declaring: "This shows how far we've come."
Back in January 2002, when Pool lost 2-1 in a third-round tie, Pool supporters decamped to the Valley for a 'special' day out.
Manager Grayson recalled: "It was one of those once-a-season days out back then. Nowadays we're having these kind of trips every other week and it just shows the great strides this club has made."
Pool travel to London today with a fully-fit squad and in the best of spirits on the back of a four-match unbeaten league run.
It has temporarily silenced talk of relegation – in fact, with the club only six points off the play-offs, there is suddenly something to aim for at the other end of the table.
"You've got to be joking," spluttered Grayson, when the idea was put to him. "No chance. We're not getting that carried away. I don't even look at the top half of the table!
"We have to be realistic. We are now six points from the relegation zone and eight from bottom.
"It could quickly change. We know that we could lose a couple and that certain teams below us are going to strengthen big time in the next few weeks.
"We are in a good position and trying to build on it. But all we want to do – and the players are fully aware of this – is get to 52 or 53 points and make sure we are in this division next season. Looking at the top end of the division can wait for a couple more years."
Grayson has big decisions to make for tomorrow's game and pondered his options out loud. "Does David Fox stay in? Should Stephen McPhee start?
And then there is the defence because Michael Jackson isn't suspended as we had originally thought.
"It's tough but I want those kind of decisions. We've got good players who are desperate to play."
Grayson reveaed that Keigan Parker travels south as part of the 21-man squad. today and will be in contention for tomorrow's encounter.
The manager added: "He's still a member of our squad and he's getting paid by us. If I think Keigan should start tomorrow, then I'll select him.
"There is no hidden agenda. I will make the right decisions for the team on any given day."
Shaun Barker will return after missing the FA Cup defeat at Barnsley through suspension.
Kaspars Gorkss will again walk a disciplinary tightrope – he's on four bookings, one away from a ban.
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpool-football-club/Larry-Look-at-how-far.3663365.jp 
Comments
Should be a good game as they do try and play football as well which could well play into our hands.
just for you PITL;-)
i see where their manager's coming from... if we look up we're 7points from automatic promotion but if we look down we're 7 points from 15th... as for the progression the clubs have made since the last time we played them.... well we all know which direction both teams have gone