Young Blackpool forward disucsses first year of League One football

Blackpool Gazette

Rob Apter has been a regular for Blackpool this season after spending the last few years out on loan away from Bloomfield Road.

Transcript

00:00Someone's asked about your first year in League One. How have you found it?

00:03Does it feel like it's been a natural step up?

00:05Yeah, I think so. I think, you know, coming from League 3 last year,

00:10I think my mindset was come to play League One and play as many games as I can.

00:14You know, I've probably played more than I expected this year,

00:16but I can only be happy for how I've done.

00:18I think obviously I could have probably, there's still more games to go,

00:21but I think I probably could have got more goals and assists.

00:23But, you know, I think I've enjoyed it.

00:25Is it the best way to learn? Just keep getting games?

00:27Keep, you know, constantly performing?

00:28Yeah, definitely. I think the best thing in football is to go and play games

00:31and, you know, hopefully I can keep doing that.

00:34Obviously, you started off in non-league.

00:36Before the season started, I spoke to Jay Milligan, Marcus Carver,

00:38who obviously knew you at previous clubs.

00:40I think you've always been confident, lad, so have you always felt that?

00:42Yeah, definitely on the pitch, I think I'm confident in what my ability I've got

00:46and, you know, I think that's how I show that each game I play.

00:49Did you have to be patient to wait for your chance at Blackpool?

00:51Was you always sort of knocking at the door saying,

00:53when is my first team opportunity going to come?

00:55I think from when I came in at 17, you know, I probably wasn't there.

00:59I think probably last year I probably thought I probably could have got in,

01:02but I went on loan, you know.

01:04Cologne's helped me massively at Samia, you know,

01:07so I can't be, I wouldn't change it for the world, really.

01:10You're sporting highs like last year, you know, League Two Young Player of the Year

01:13and everything that came at Tramier.

01:15You can't really look back and think,

01:16oh, I should have been Blackpool's team last year?

01:18No, definitely not, because, you know, the achievement that I got last year

01:20to win that award was amazing and, you know, I'm thankful for that.

01:24Did that give you a springy step going back and finally saying, I am ready now?

01:27Yeah, definitely, after winning that and after how well I'd done last year,

01:30I think I've come back and thought, right, I'm getting in this team

01:33and, you know, I've done that this year

01:34and hopefully I can just keep going and keep improving.

01:36What was it like when Steve Bruce got announced

01:38and you found out, you know, you were going to be working with him?

01:40Yeah, it was made up, I think.

01:41You start up right away, you want the places and you need all the formation,

01:44you know, you come in and then him and Agger's jobs and keys,

01:47you have the way they've worked and he's brilliant and I can't thank them enough.

01:51Yeah, the way he wants to set up, you know,

01:53he plays to your strengths, your natural position

01:55and emphasises the importance of your position,

01:57so that must be everything you could dream of.

01:59No, yeah, definitely, I think the way everything is, it's perfect,

02:02to be honest, and even for the whole team, I think,

02:04since the gaffer's come in, I think everyone's adapted very well

02:08and, you know, they've enjoyed it.

02:09Have you got some mood like around changing rooms, just working under him?

02:12Yeah, brilliant, I think everyone's confident,

02:14everyone wants to keep learning, keep playing games, keep playing, you know,

02:17and I think as a collective we can all do that.

02:19Is there a bit of frustration in the way that you're not high up the table,

02:21you're not close to the play-offs, considering how well you have played in spells?

02:25Yeah, I think there is, but, you know, as I said before,

02:28there's eight or nine games left, so I think we've got to play all the big teams,

02:33I think, you know, we'll give ourselves a right good chance,

02:35the way we've been performing after Christmas, you know, so we'll just see what happens.

02:39For yourself on an individual level, just continue building, getting better

02:42and, you know, learning your trade?

02:44Yeah, hopefully just keep playing, keep playing as many games as I can,

02:46keep getting goals and assists, creating chances and see where it takes me.

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