'Grandad' Judge hails Town's training ground work after inspiring Blackpool win

The Irishman was Town’s best player, lashing home an expertly-placed shot from outside the box just before the break to put his side in control of a contest they killed off early in the second half, thanks to a Luke Woolfenden header.

Judge’s opener was the result of Town winning the ball back and breaking quickly through Mark McGuinness and then Myles Kenlock, something Paul Lambert’s men had been working on leading into the contest.

Alan Judge celebrates after scoring his first half goal to give Town a 1-0 lead. (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

“It’s good to see things from the training field, that we’ve been working on, make their way into the games,” Judge said.

“Overall, it’s a pleasing performance. It’s about making forward runs when we retrieve the ball and the first goal showed that. We’ve been working on getting the ball back in those three or four seconds after you lose it and Kenny (Myles Kenlock) has picked it up and moved it forward. We caught them on the counter and that’s what we’ve been working on.

“I was surprised by the amount of time I had to finish but it’s maybe that quick turnover that gave me that. It’s just good to see the stuff from the training ground make it onto the pitch.

“We need to do the other side of it, too, because if we don’t concede we don’t lose games.”

Alan Judge celebrates his goal against Blackpool (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

This was Judge’s second goal of the season, adding to his strike in the home loss to Swindon and coming in a game where he was his side’s oldest player (at 32) in the absence of Luke Chambers and Stephen Ward.

It also came from a slightly deeper midfield role, which the Irishman believes suits him well.

“I get called grandad by Flynn (Downes) every single day, every morning,” Judge joked. “He calls me grandad so I don’t know what he must call Chambo and Wardy.

Alan Judge fires Town into a 1-0 lead. (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

“I try to lead by example and I’m not really a ranter or a raver, so I like to talk to players individually and can be a bit a little more quiet with it.

“I’m just happy to play and I’ll play anywhere I’m asked to but I’m getting to an age now where I want to get into positions where I want to play, so it’s up to me to keep myself in that position.

“If the manager wants me to play on the wing then I’ll do that no problem.

“We’re not playing with a No.10, it’s more of a No.8 which I played at Brentford and I like playing there. I’m getting older so it suits me. I enjoy the tracking back and tackling and I can’t always be the flying No.10 or winger like I used to be.”