Ex-Huddersfield Town captain Peter Clarke has lifted the lid on a "tough" 2014/15 campaign at Blackpool and admits he has learned a lot in times of adversity.
Clarke signed up for a third spell at Bloomfield Road last summer after his release from Town and was one of the better performers amidst the extraordinary goings-on behind the scenes at the club as the Seasiders were relegated to League One.
The 33-year-old helped bolster a threadbare squad under former boss Jose Riga when he arrived but, as one of 17 players released at the end of this season, believes the next manager to succeed the departed Lee Clark will face a similar scenario this close season as Riga did last.
“It’s a case of deja vu," he said.
“It’s not a good base for any manager going in there.
“In one sense they’ve got a blank canvas to work with, but at the same time anyone who does go in there is going to want to make inroads into recruitment and it’s going to be difficult.”
The Pool players were forced to wash their own kits due to such paltry conditions at the club's training ground, with the season ending on a sour note with the pitch invasion which saw supporters protest against chairman Karl Oyston as their clash with Town was abandoned.
In pictures: Blackpool A-A Huddersfield Town
An FA charge leaves the club staring at the prospect of playing behind closed doors next season and Clarke admits he is sorry for those who are signed up for the club's 2015/16 campaign.
“Of course you have sympathy with them, it’s a tough environment to be in," he revealed.
“It was challenging and you had to play the deal you were dealt.
“The sooner players learnt that the better.
“Some perhaps didn’t and fell by the wayside, while performances probably suffered.”
