Blackpool coach welcomes Gillingham distraction ahead of FA Cup first round tie

Seasiders boss Barry Ferguson hails upcoming cup clash as 'perfect preparation' for league return

Blackpool head coach Barry Ferguson has welcomed the distraction of an FA Cup first round tie against Gillingham this weekend, as his side prepare to return to League One action next week.

The Seasiders have endured a difficult start to the season, winning just two of their opening 10 league games, and Ferguson is hoping that a positive result in the FA Cup can help to boost morale.

"We need to make sure that we're ready for the FA Cup, but we also need to make sure that we're ready for the league," Ferguson said.

"The FA Cup is a great competition, and it's one that we want to do well in, but we also need to make sure that we're focused on the league.

"We've got a big game coming up against Gillingham, and we need to make sure that we're ready for that.

"It's a good distraction for us, and it's something that we can focus on.

"We need to make sure that we're ready for the league, but we also need to make sure that we're enjoying ourselves, and the FA Cup is a great opportunity for us to do that.

Blackpool will be without a number of key players for the FA Cup tie, including Kevin Stewart, Grant Ward and Keshi Anderson, but Ferguson is confident that his side can still get a positive result.

"We've got a good squad, and we've got a lot of players who are capable of playing in the first team," Ferguson said.

"We're going to have to make some changes, but I'm confident that we can still get a good result.

"We're going to go into the game with a positive attitude, and we're going to try to win the game.

Blackpool will host Gillingham at Bloomfield Road on Saturday, November 5.