Blackpool forward dicusses his time at Bloomfield Road so far

Blackpool Gazette

Tom Bloxham discusses his time with Blackpool so far, as he shares his targets in both the short-term and the long-term.

Transcript

00:00So Blocko, obviously you've been here since January. How has it been so far for you?

00:04Yeah, I've really enjoyed it mate. I think the lads have brought me in really well and I get

00:09along with everyone. I'm really enjoying myself. Has this been your first real move away from home

00:14or have you experienced it before? No, when I was a bit younger, I stayed in Telford,

00:19in a place near Shrewsbury, so I was staying there for a bit. But other than that, yeah,

00:24it's kind of my biggest move away from home, especially for a long period of time.

00:28How's it sort of been off the pitch, sort of adapting to that?

00:31Yeah, I think I've adapted well. At the start it was a bit tough, but obviously my dad and my mum never

00:37came up and helped me out, my brothers. So yeah, but I think now it's sound, I've got used to it.

00:44I think it's sound. Have you been by yourself or has anyone come up with you?

00:49My dad was staying up with me for a bit and then obviously he's had to go about work and stuff,

00:53so yeah, but other than that, I think it's been all right mate.

00:58Does it suit your solo living, sort of do something like cooking yourself, doing the cleaning things?

01:01Uh, sometimes I can cook, I just cook the basics like pasta and stuff like that, but

01:07yeah, there's food here that I take home to be fair, like meal clips and stuff, so yeah,

01:11that's quite handy. It makes life all heated and burning down the kitchen potential.

01:14Yeah, yeah, that's it.

01:15Obviously on the pitch you enjoyed an explosive start to life.

01:19Yeah.

01:20So yeah, just how did you find that? Was it a perfect way to introduce yourself to the Blackpool fans?

01:25Yeah, I think it was. I just, I obviously think I've got more in there. I know it's been tough,

01:30obviously I got injured and obviously the team has been doing well whilst I've been out, so

01:34it's been tough to get back in the team, but that's what I definitely want to do and yeah,

01:38keep on from where I left off.

01:40Obviously, the gaffer started you at striker, but you also played right in the field, so where do you

01:45think you are strongest?

01:46To be fair, either of all, I don't mind playing on the left, on the right, or up front.

01:52To be fair at Shrewsbury, I was playing on the right mostly, but to be fair, I do like, I think

01:57I've adapted to striker quite well here playing on the gaffer, so yeah, I'm really enjoying it there.

02:02Did you enjoy sort of leading the line, being sort of a key figure so early on in your time

02:06in the club?

02:07Yeah, yeah, it was good. I was, yeah, it was good to be fair. Fletch was helping me out a lot,

02:13and obviously he's been class this season, so yeah, I think that was good to go in there with him

02:18and start with him.

02:20Yeah, but just Fletch with his whole up play and sort of his experience as well.

02:23Yeah, yeah, really well. He always used to talk to me, tell me things and obviously I'd just bounce off

02:28that and yeah, it'd be good. I think we had a good link up, yeah.

02:33So those are a few games, you know, pure energy, you sort of excited people,

02:36new sign you sort of expect, maybe a few weeks back in, but you sort of didn't do that, did you?

02:41Yeah, no, that's it, I thought I just, I've just got to come in and make a good impression,

02:45do you know what I mean? And then obviously unfortunately I got injured, which is,

02:48which is a bit of a setback, but yeah, I've just got to work,

02:50worked really hard to get myself back in the team and be playing well again.

02:54A performance, you also had backflips as well, so you're looking forward to getting back to that.

02:58Yeah, I need to be careful with that one to be fair, because I could get injured, but no,

03:02yeah, it was a bit mad. I know Niall did one a few weeks ago as well,

03:07so you know, it's spreading, you've started something now.

03:09Yeah, that was good to be fair, I did that little cartwheel backflip, but yeah,

03:15I just need to be careful doing it to be fair, if we get, I don't know.

03:18You've been told not to, like the medical team said, right, don't try that again.

03:23I just said, I said be careful, but obviously I've got, I think I've got it under control anyway, so yeah.

03:29We'll have to go through Blackpool history, I don't think we've seen so many acrobatic

03:31celebrations in quick succession from different players.

03:34No we're not.

03:36Obviously time on the sidelines, how frustrating was that, you know, so early on, after you made such a good start?

03:42Yeah, really frustrating to be fair, I just wanted, obviously it's the first real injury I've ever had,

03:46like, kind of long injuries, so it was a bit frustrating for me, and I just wanted to get

03:50back out there as soon as, and obviously I've been out there now, I've came off the bench, and

03:54I felt really, I felt really good to be fair, I just need to get my fitness back and just, yeah,

03:59go on where I left off, but yeah, it was tough at the time seeing the lads train and stuff, but

04:05yeah, back playing now, so yeah, got to keep it that way.

04:09Yeah, you said it was your first proper injury, so is that difficult where you're not used to not

04:14be able to do things, you're not used to your body, not be able to do, like, obviously the basics of football?

04:17Yeah, that's it, obviously I know it's, obviously I've been for four or five years,

04:21I've been at Shrews, but I've been playing on that training pitch and stuff, so obviously

04:26that's to a different training pitch, a different environment, and obviously the gaff has put me in,

04:31and obviously it's a bit fast start for me, so things like that, but yeah, obviously I'll get used to

04:37things like that, but yeah, that's probably what it could have been, do you know what I mean?

04:41But yeah, I feel like I'm adapting well now, so.

04:43Yeah, you made a few outings off the bench, are you just gearing up to make that first start again now?

04:48Yeah, that's it, that's it, I can't wait to get that first start, I'm sure you go for

04:54obviously where I left off, to be fair, and just get back out there and be playing around again.

05:00Yeah, it must be hungry for you, obviously, you have to be patient when you're on your sidelines,

05:03can't play at all, but you have to be patient just waiting, not knowing when you're going to come up

05:06on the bench.

05:07Yeah, that's it, I've just got to make sure I'm always ready, to be fair mate, and ready to come

05:12on and make an impact.

05:13Good competition role, obviously, in Ireland, Fletcher, both bangles, so.

05:17Yeah, they're playing really well, to be fair, so there's not much I can really say, do you

05:20know what I mean, so yeah, I've just got to be patient, I want to get my time, that's where I take it.

05:25Obviously, you signed on a long-term deal, are you excited to be someone that can

05:29guide this club forward, so someone obviously the first few weeks you stood out to be

05:32someone that can stand out?

05:33Yeah, definitely mate, obviously, Blackpool's a big club, and obviously, we want to get them higher

05:38than League One, that's the aim, and obviously, I'm here for three years now, so I've just got to

05:43settle down and just work hard, and yeah, take the club as high as possible, and achieve as much

05:49as possible.

05:50Yeah, are you hungry to be a Championship player in Tangerine?

05:52Yeah, definitely, definitely, that's my aim, that's my biggest aim, I've always wanted, obviously,

05:56playing the Championship in the Premier League, do you know what I mean?

05:59So, yeah, obviously, I'm still young at the minute, so yeah, I'm still just thriving for that.

06:04Obviously, you've got a manager who knows what it's like to be at that top level as well,

06:07so how much have you enjoyed working under him?

06:09Yeah, he's class, he's class, like, he's always speaking to me, he's always talking to me,

06:14like, what I need to improve and what I need to do better and stuff like that, do you know what I mean?

06:18But yeah, I feel like he's done really well for me, and he's helped me out a lot since I've been here.

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