Close Call!

Several of the defender's Liverpool peers had trials at Bloomfield Road during the close season and Nicholas admits he would have followed a similar path had he failed to secure a deal with Town.

The Seasiders were among those monitoring the youngster's progress at Anfield last year but it was King who moved to snap up the youngster.

Nicholas said: "There are links between Liverpool and Blackpool, obviously through Steve McMahon.

"Towards the end of my time at Anfield, I was told there were a couple of clubs who might be interested.

"Had nothing worked out over the summer then I might well have gone to Blackpool for trials."

There is no need for Nicholas to try and prove himself in such fashion now.

With a two-year contract on the table, it is more a question of Town desperately wanting to hang on to him.

Nicholas' immediate task is to help sink the Seasiders today, while continuing to build on an impressive start in professional footballer.

He said: "I think my defensive awareness and positioning has improved. What I do want is to work on my link-up play going forward, especially with Brian Howard down the left flank."

Nicholas will have every chance to make that happen when both players sign new two-year deals in the early part of next week, the club confirming yesterday that agreement had been reached in both cases.

After preparing at Bolton Wanderers' training ground yesterday, King will be making changes to his starting line-up, with Sean O'Hanlon likely to be handed a start alongside Matt Heywood, and Andy Gurney and David Duke will battle it out for the right back slot.

As for Blackpool, influential midfielder Richie Wellens is rated 50-50 for a return, while McMahon will be hoping striker John Murphy can shake off a back problem.

Town's rearranged fourth round FA Youth Cup tie with Cardiff City will take place at the County Ground on Tuesday (7pm).

The winners will be at home to Cambridge United in round five.