BLACKPOOL has been a favourite destination for many a day-tripper or stag/hen night reveller, but for Jon Walters it is a happy hunting ground for purely professional reasons.

Derek Davis

BLACKPOOL has been a favourite destination for many a day-tripper or stag/hen night reveller, but for Jon Walters it is a happy hunting ground for purely professional reasons.

The Town striker netted the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Bloomfield Road last January, and also scored what turned out to be the winner at Portman Road the following month.

He has also enjoyed a win there with Hull City and his only taste of defeat came while with Wrexham when they were on the end of a seven-goal thriller.

Walters said: “I have few friends up there I like going there it is one of my favourite places to go and not just for a stick of rock

“There are certain grounds players love going to and others they don't like, Blackpool is one of my favourite places to play.

“I have always either had a good game or had a good result there so I like it.”

Hailing from the north-west, Walters knows many of the players in the area and will be looking forward to come across a particularly former team-mate.

He said: “Ben Burgess is there and we go back away. It is always good to come across players you played in youth teams with.”

Despite coming agonisingly close, including hitting the woodwork in successive games against Swansea and Nottingham Forest, Walters has not scored since the 4-1 defeat by Wigan in the League Cup and his last Championship finish was in the 2-0 win over Reading almost two months ago.

The appreciates he is a marked man this season after such an impressive last season when he was undisputed Player of the Year for making so many assists and hitting 13 goals.

“I would like to be banging in a few more goals and hitting the woodwork so much has been a pain but I'm sure one will go in soon.

“It could be because it is the second season and teams are doubling up on me, or players getting tighter, but it has been harder.

“These things happen in football and you have dry spells but I will keep working to help scoring or making goals.

“Look at Garvs if he maintains his goal-scoring record he will be on 20 to 25 or he could just dry up. Players get that - when you can go a month scoring four or five, so hopefully I can do that this month.

“As long as team is scoring and I'm doing my job and we, as a team, stay among highest scorers we will be fine.”

As for the place Walters is least looking forward in going to?

“Bristol City's Ashton Gate, never a happy hunting ground. We usually go on a Tuesday night and it rains,” Walters said.