 He made his first appearance in the league on 20 August; within two minutes of coming on as a second-half substitute with Blackpool 2–0 down to Brighton & Hove Albion; he set up a goal for Kevin Phillips and went on to produce a "brilliant display" that "helped Pool grab the unlikeliest of draws".He signed a new one-year contract with the club on 26 August, but injuries disrupted his first-team appearances in the early part of the season.He scored a "25-yard screamer into the top corner" in a 2–2 draw with Birmingham City on 26 November which he dedicated to Wales international manager Gary Speed, who died the next day.