Blackpool are far more than a one-man team admits Peterborough United manager

On-loan Huddersfield Town striker Jordan Rhodes has started his career at the Seasiders in great style with nine goals in his first nine appearances.

But Ferguson, who will be back in the technical area after serving his second ban of the season at Port Vale on Tuesday, has a lot of respect for the squad put together by manager Neil Critchley. Blackpool start tomorrow’s game at Bloomfield Road just a place and two points behind Posh.

"Whenever Blackpool are in League One you expect them to challenge for promotion,” Ferguson insisted. “And it’s no different this season.

"They have put together a squad with a lot of games under their belt and they are sure to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

"Obviously Jordan Rhodes is going well and his movement at this level is very very good so he’s one we need to be aware of, but they have a lot of good players.

“It’s a tough game of course, but it’s one we will try and win like we always do.”

Ferguson is reasonably satisfied with the start to the season his own side have made. They’ve kept six clean sheets and lost just three times in the opening 14 matches of the campaign, but he still expects his team to improve.

"We are effectively a third of the way through the season after tomorrow’s game,” Ferguson added. “So it's more than just a start and we’ve done ok. It’s frustrating we’ve let three points slip away with late goals at Carlisle and Northampton and if they hadn’t gone in we would have eight clean sheets which would be very good.

"We do have growth in us and we will need to show it at Blackpool. We have said all season we need to improve our decision-making in the final third and that’s still the case, although I am sure it will happen.

"After tomorrow we will have played four of the top six away from home already and I'm not sure how many of the other top teams can say that.”

First-choice midfielder Archie Collins is suspended tomorrow and Ferguson will choose between on-loan Manchester City centre-back Jadel Katongo and summer midfield signing from Barnet Ryan de Havilland on who to play alongside Hector Kyprianou.