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Blackpool boss issues injury update - with ex-Stockport County man handed fresh blow The new EFL season gets underway this weekend - with Blackpool facing Grimsby Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup. Blackpool are set to welcome players back from injury just in time for the new season - but Fraser Horsfall won’t be one of them. The Seasiders travel to Blundell Park to take on Grimsby Town in the first round of the EFL Cup on Saturday afternoon. After missing the entirety of the pre-season friendlies for Ian Evatt’s side, Horsfall took part in Monday’s open training at Bloomfield Road, but has been hit with fresh complications after undergoing ankle surgery back in April. Since making the move from Stockport County last summer, the defender has endured his fair share of problems, with the timeframe for his latest issue currently unknown. Meanwhile, Leighton Clarkson, Albie Morgan, and George Honeyman are all set to be involved despite being unavailable for match action in recent weeks. Unfortunately for Dion Charles, the start of the campaign comes too soon as he works his way back from a foot problem, with Michael Ihiekwe still unavailable and Tom Bloxham 50/50. Providing an injury update, Evatt said: “We’ve done a lot of work in pre-season. We’ve had some issues, but if you went across most of the squads in the EFL, most have encountered similar issues. “We’re a little bit depleted, but we’ve got some back, which I always knew we would. We’ve had some complications along the way. We’ve got what I believe is a strong enough squad to be very competitive. You always need more and always need more returning. “Albie (Morgan) is back available, Leighton Clarkson is back available, and George Honeyman is back available. That’s three big names for us who are ready to travel. There’s others who aren’t too far away that will make us better. “Dion (Charles) isn’t far away at all, he’s out of the boot. The stress injury from being stood on has settled, but he’s not quite ready for tomorrow (against Grimsby), but I think he’ll be ready for next week. “Tom Bloxham is very very close. I’ve not made the final call on whether he travels, but he’s almost there. Subscribe now for HALF PRICE and catch every minute of our Seasiders coverage this season - from pre-season to the final whistle. Click here “Fraser (Horsfall) has had some complications so he won’t be available tomorrow. We don’t know how long at the moment, but the ankle isn’t where he wants it to be or we need it to be. He was in late stage rehab, but just wasn’t quite where we needed him to be, so it’s back to the drawing board on that.” Additional bad news concerns teenager Oluchi Nwankwo - who is set to spend the next couple of months on the sidelines after being forced off in Blackpool’s recent behind-closed-doors friendly against Blackburn Rovers. “We’ve lost him to a disappointing injury, because it was a contact one that caused the knee issue,” he said. “He planted his leg to make a tackle, and Dapo Afolayan ran into him, it’s caused some medial ligament issue, so he’s going to be out for a couple of months.”