This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk‘ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Blackpool had a solid season last year as they faced their first campaign back in the Championship. 

The Tangerines are keen to build on this success, but following the sudden departure of Neil Critchley as manager, returning manger Michael Appleton will have to create a side that both reflects him and is able to push up the league.

It's been rather quiet at the club so far this summer and the most talk has come over the possible departure of winger Josh Bowler from the club with AFC Bournemouth interested in the player.

Bowler was a key player for his side last season so we asked FLW's Blackpool fan pundit Joe Atherton if he can see the player being sold on before the new season: "The only way I can see Josh Bowler being sold this summer is if it's for the right price.

"It's no secret that teams like Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth were both interested in him last season. I believe we turned down a bid of around £3million from Bournemouth.

"Towards the end of the season, Josh hardly featured for us. In fact I think the last six games he was out with fatigue. How a 23-year-old fit football is fatigued for six weeks I don't know, but there you go. It looked like we were saving him to be sold in the summer.

"Apparently Bournemouth have come back in but only with a bid of £1million.

"Obviously he's only got a year left in his contract. I think he'll be sold but again, only for the right price and I think Blackpool would probably rather gamble and keep him and risk losing him on a free than sell him for less than £2million.

"I think if somebody came back in with a bid of £2million, he'd probably be off and it's pretty frustrating at the minute because it's very quiet transfer wise at Blackpool.

"Prior to what everybody's saying about us, we're not skint. Simon Sadler our owner has put in £30million of his own money to build a new 100 acre training facility just on the edge of the town. Also planning to demolish the East stand where the away fans are situated and finish the ground complexly, instead of having the temporary stand that was put up there purely because we got to the Premiership and our ground wasn't up to scratch so we had to hastily erect a stand which has been up for ten years which sums up our previous owners.

"But I think Bowler will go if there is an offer of £2m or more. Purely because we need him and that money to go to buy some other players because all of our eggs are in the training ground and East stand basket so if there's going to be any income, it has to be big outgoings first and obviously Josh Bowler is probably our prized asset."

The Verdict: 

From a fan's perspective you can understand why they won't want Bowler to leave. He was a key player for the side last season and would no doubt be able to help them push further up the table next year too.

However, the end of last season did make it seem as though a departure was on the cards meaning it's a real possibility for the Tangerines. Furthermore, given he is out of contract next year, this could be a last chance to cash in on him.

That being said, as Joe pointed out, it wouldn't be worth cashing in on him for a price that's lower than where the club value him because of what they lose in the side without him.

Therefore, we will have to wait and see whether any club could offer Blackpool the right amount of money to move on their current stance.