One out of contract man has to stay, says Evatt

Ian Evatt has joined the growing list of players who are warning that chairman Karl Oyston must do everything he can to keep the playing staff stable this summer.

The defender - who won the Vital Blackpool Player of the Season last month - thinks it is key to keep 'at least one' of the out-of-contract Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey and David Vaughan.

Offers have been put in to all three, with the Blackpool Gazette reporting that the offer on the table for Vaughan is on a par with figures put to him elsewhere - most notably Sunderland.

'The manager realises what we've got and he doesn't want to lose that,' Evatt told the Gazette.

'It would be a boost to keep at least one of the out-of-contract lads (Vaughan, Stephen Crainey and Matt Gilks) at the club.

'But the bottom line is that everybody's stock has risen, not just Vaughan but the likes of Charlie and DJ too.

'There are going to be people not just knocking on the door but banging the door down for them, because they know they've not been earning what their capabilities say they should and they feel like they are going to be bargains for what they've achieved.

'It is important the club just does all it can to try and keep them.'

Evatt followed in the footsteps of Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Alex Baptiste in being vocal about the task ahead of the club in the coming weeks.

Stephen Crainey has been linked with Bristol City, whilst Vaughan and Gilks are attracting interest from a host of clubs.

And with the national fascination surrounding the first team, Evatt is worried about losing other key players who are under contract.

He was consistent with the views of GTF and Baptiste however, backing his chairman to the hilt: 'None of us like saying it, but we've got to face facts - the stock of the players has risen.

'There are going to be people after our better players now and hopefully the chairman will do all he can to keep everybody together. I`m sure he will.

'It is vital that we do keep the team together because I think this group of players has been something special - maybe the best Blackpool team for a long time.'

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