Neil Critchley issues fitness update on Blackpool quartet Daniel Gretarsson, Marvin Ekpiteta, CJ Hamilton and Gary Madine

The striker, who has missed Blackpool’s last four games after being given injections for a groin issue, is due to return to training this afternoon.

Critchley previously suggested that Madine wouldn’t require a long recovery process once he’s back in training, which raises the prospect of him being involved during tomorrow night’s clash against Doncaster Rovers.

“We’re hoping he will be back training today,” Critchley said, speaking this morning.

“Then we just have to make a call whether or not we feel it’s the right time for him to go back into a game, or how we would start to integrate him back into the team or the squad.

“It will be about three weeks since his last game, so that’s a conversation we’re going to have this afternoon.”

The Seasiders are still without Marvin Ekpiteta, Daniel Gretarsson, Keshi Anderson and CJ Hamilton through injury.

However, Gretarsson and Hamilton have stepped up their rehabilitation in recent weeks and are closing in on a return.

“CJ is due to start training with the squad fully today, which is obviously a bonus,” Critchley added.

“He’s been out since the Christmas period, so now we have to decide how many training sessions he needs and how long we give him before we integrate him back into the squad.

“It’s great to have him back involved on the grass and with the squad.

“Daniel Gretarsson is also on the grass and doing some running, but he’ll be a couple of weeks away yet.

“He’s stepping up his rehab though and so far there’s been no issue with that.”

As for Ekpiteta, he missed his first league game of the season on Saturday as Blackpool battled their way to an impressive 1-0 win at Portsmouth.

The defender, who suffered a hamstring injury in the recent victory against Rochdale, is now facing a spell on the sidelines - although Critchley refuses to put a specific timeframe on his return.

“It’s not going to be a couple of weeks,” he conceded.

“But I never like setting timeframes though, because everyone is different. Different people and different bodies react in different ways.

“As soon as I put a date on it or number of weeks, people hold you to that.

“Hopefully he can come back sooner or it might take him a bit longer, you never know. But it’s not going to be one or two weeks, that’s for certain, it’s going to be longer than that.”

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