Blackpool boss 'confident' Birmingham City game goes ahead despite plummeting temperatures

Covers were placed on the pitch earlier in the week to protect the surface amid the plummeting temperatures across the UK.

With Accrington Stanley’s home game against Portsmouth already being called off due to a frozen pitch, there have been concerns among supporters that Pool’s return from a month-long break could also be delayed.

But with the temperature likely to remain just above frozen on the Fylde coast, Appleton believes the game should be okay.

“I’m pretty confident,” he said.

“The lads have got the sheets on the pitch. I know it’s been quite difficult with the weather over the last few days but I’m reasonably confident.”

Appleton’s men will be desperate to get back to winning ways on their return after suffering four straight defeats before the break, leaving them second from bottom in the table.

Should the game go ahead, the Seasiders will take on a Birmingham City side that sit 14th in the table and six points better off than them.

It’s been a different story at St Andrew’s under Josh Eustace this season after their struggles under Lee Bowyer last term, where they finished 20th on just 47 points.

“They’ve certainly made massive improvements from the very early stages of the season,” Appleton added.

“The last few games before the break whether they won, lost or drew, they were certainly very competitive.

“They’ve got a lot of energy in the middle of the park, they’ve got three really experienced strikers but they tend to play with two of them and they’re all more than capable of scoring at this level. When they’re not scoring, they can still hurt you from a physicality point of view.

“They’re very solid, they’re hard to beat. We know it’s going to be a difficult game with the way they set up because they’re hard to beat, but we’re really looking forward to it as you can imagine.

“Not having any competitive football for the best part of a month, the lads will be raring to go.”