The 36-year-old Fowler, who left England three years ago and has since played for North Queensland Fury and Perth Glory in Australia and Thailand's Muangthong United, is training with the Seasiders in a bid to earn a contract until the end of the season.

Phillips told www.blackpoolfc.co.uk: "It's been great to see Robbie training with the club. I know him from our England days and he looked fit and sharp and ready to help us.

"He's one of the best strikers the country has produced in modern times and would be a great signing for the club."

Fowler would certainly be a coup for Ian Holloway's side, who currently sit fourth in the table, and would add to an already considerable list of attacking talent including Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Matt Phillips, Thomas Ince, Roman Bednar, Lomana LuaLua and veterans Phillips, 38, and Brett Ormerod, 35.

Phillips feels Fowler would be a valuable addition, adding: "The gaffer has used the experienced lads like me and Barry Ferguson to help the younger lads and there's plenty more to learn from someone like Robbie.

"There's already plenty of banter flying around about me, Robbie and Brett all playing together - we wouldn't be short of experience that day."

Blackpool travel to Derby tomorrow looking to get back to winning ways after the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser against Hull on Friday.

The Seasiders had taken the lead thanks to a superb goal from 20-year-old Ince, taking his tally for the season to six and three in two games.

Blackpool signed the forward from Liverpool in the summer and Holloway believes he is rapidly emerging from beneath the shadow of dad Paul, the former Manchester United and England midfielder.

"People don't talk about him, they talk about his dad," said Holloway. "That's going to be very difficult for the boy because his dad was, undoubtedly, a great player. But I think he's going to be a great player in his own right.

"He's full of running, full of skill and full of tricks. If he can continue to put a finishing product on the end of it then he's going to be highly sought after. That goal the other night was as good a goal as any of my teams have ever scored."

While Blackpool head to Pride Park, league leaders Southampton will host Ipswich, who will again be without midfielder Jimmy Bullard after he was handed a two-week suspension having turned up late for training last Thursday following a night out in Newcastle with team-mate Michael Chopra, who was fined but not suspended.

Second-placed West Ham do not play until Wednesday so Reading, who are on a six-match winning streak, have the chance to close the gap when they face struggling Portsmouth.

Middlesbrough, currently fifth, meet Barnsley while play-off chasers Hull and Leeds clash at the KC Stadium.

There is a big match at the bottom of the table between Nottingham Forest and Doncaster while Bristol City face Leicester, Coventry host Crystal Palace and Millwall travel to Peterborough.