 In the summer of 2008, and without having made a first-team appearance for "the Canaries", Gilks signed for fellow Championship club Blackpool as makeweight in a part-exchange deal which saw Wes Hoolahan go in the opposite direction.He made his debut on 12 August 2008 in a 2–0 League Cup defeat by Macclesfield Town.After failing to break into the first team, and considering quitting the game due to lack of opportunities and a self-perceived lack of ability during a training session, he signed for League Two club Shrewsbury Town on a month's loan on 21 November to cover an injury crisis at the club.