Town manager Joe Royle has refused to dismiss a link with Blackpool left-sided defender or midfielder John Hills. The 24-year-old has worked under Royle before, moving to Everton at 17 when the Blues' boss was in charge on Merseyside.

With little or no money to spend in the summer Royle will have to look to cut-price deals and Hills appears a likely candidate. Blackpool's player of the year for the last two seasons has turned down a new contract and is available on a free in June. He has missed much of this season with a recurring hamstring problem.

Royle refused to be drawn on interest in Hills, also being linked with Wigan and Plymouth: "I know Hillsy well, I signed him as a kid but I have shown no interest in him so far.

"I don't want to say there's no chance of John Hills coming here because you never know. All I can say is that it's not something that I've done anything about."

Although Matt Richards has emerged this season there are very few left-footed players at the club with Jamie Clapham and Hermann Hreidarsson gone and Mark Venus probably on his way in the summer.

Hills joined Everton from Blackpool in August 1994. He made just one senior start while at Goodison Park (plus two appearances as sub) before moving on loan to Swansea twice and then back to Blackpool.

He eventually signed permanently at Bloomfield Road for £60,000 in February 1998. Since that move he has made 166 appearances (plus 15 sub) and has scored 20 goals. A Tangerines fans' favourite, he is a freekick specialist and penalty-taker.

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