Andrea Orlandi admits his season at Blackpool has been even tougher than he feared.

But the former Albion midfielder is determined to give their long-suffering fans something to cheer today.

Even if it has to be at the expense of his best mate in football and the club he did not want to leave.

Orlandi ended up on the Fylde Coast after being let go by the Seagulls last May.

He had expected to be kept on and was bitterly disappointed to be shown the door.

Now settled with his family in Bolton, he has been trying to turn back the tide which, even before the season began, seemed certain to sweep the Tangerines to relegation.

However there is a more pressing matter as Albion come to town.

And that is to win back some self-esteem after last Saturday's 7-2 humiliation at Watford.

Orlandi's first goal for the club helped Blackpool into a 2-0 lead which was overturned in merciless fashion by Watford after the break.

The midfielder told The Argus: "We had been performing a bit better. At Wolves we were unlucky to concede late in the game.

"But Watford was incredible. The first half was really good, the second half was just a disaster.

"After the game it was really difficult. We talked for nearly an hour.

"We didn't know what had happened. The good thing is that no one was pointing the finger at anyone else. We have not been blaming each other.

"We have watched the second half back and you realise the mistakes you made.

"The good thing is we now have another game. We will react the right way, we will out 150% into getting a result. I hope we put on a show for our fans."

Orlandi always knew the campaign would be tough as Blackpool struggled to put together a full team by the start of the season.

He said: "I knew this season wasn't going to be easy when I spoke to (previous manager) Jose Riga last summer but I never expected it would be this had.

"I didn't really have a pre-season so it was difficult to pick up my form.

"The new manager (Lee Clark) came in and I was out of the side for his first four or five games. He picked different players, he was looking at different things.

"But I've been back in for the last five games and I think I've played well. I feel fit like I didn't feel at all last season.

"It will be very difficult to stay up, we know that. You still fight for it. You have to. The teams just above us aren't doing really well either so there's still hope, especially at home."

Bloomfield Road is not exactly the ideal stage for Orlandi. The pitch is soft and, thanks to damage caused by a Rod Stewart concert, badly cut up.

It is not exactly what he requires for the type of subtle skills which endeared him to Albion fans for almost two seasons.

"The pitch doesn't help us play nice stylish football," he admitted. "You will see the state of the playing surface for yourselves.

"It's not great and it's very difficult to get the ball down and play. You have to look at a more direct style."

There is also animosity between disgruntled supporters and controversial owner Karl Oyston.

"We know there are problems with the supporters and the owner but, to be fair, the supporters have been incredible with us," Orlandi said.

"They are supporting us through the situation we are in. They know what's happening. But you will see they are good supporters."

This will be Orlandi's first reunion with Albion, having missed the 0-0 draw at the Amex in September through injury.

He remains in close contact with best mate Inigo Calderon, who hit the winner for the Seagulls at Bloomfield Road last season.

And he admits that time on the South Coast was something special.

"I miss Brighton," he said. "My family do as well. We are in Bolton, close to Manchester which is quite a good city.

"We quite like living here but we had such a great time in Brighton it's hard to compare.

"I still talk to Calde pretty much every day. I talk to Leo (Ulloa), Bruno, David Lopez, David Rodriguez.

"I was quite sad I couldn't come to the Amex but I'm looking forward to seeing the boys and the Brighton fans."