Aldred hails Pool's on pitch improvement

Tom Aldred thinks Blackpool are a totally different side to the one which started the season.
Blackpools Jack Tom Aldred and Jack Redshaw were the special guests at the Blackpool Kids Cup at Stanley Park this week.
The pair watched games and presented the trophy to winners Stanley Primary school in the tournament arranged by Blackpool FCs Community Trust. More than 170 pupils from Years 5 and 6 participated in the competition.Blackpools Jack Tom Aldred and Jack Redshaw were the special guests at the Blackpool Kids Cup at Stanley Park this week.
The pair watched games and presented the trophy to winners Stanley Primary school in the tournament arranged by Blackpool FCs Community Trust. More than 170 pupils from Years 5 and 6 participated in the competition.
Blackpools Jack Tom Aldred and Jack Redshaw were the special guests at the Blackpool Kids Cup at Stanley Park this week. The pair watched games and presented the trophy to winners Stanley Primary school in the tournament arranged by Blackpool FCs Community Trust. More than 170 pupils from Years 5 and 6 participated in the competition.

The Seasiders made it three games unbeaten on Tuesday night with a solid looking 0-0 draw against play-off chasing Sheffield United.

In shocking conditions Pool kept it tight and could have easily have won it on the night and Aldred feels that display in particular is one which speaks volumes about the Seasiders.

“I think we have more resilience about us now.

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“We are stronger as a group now and I think people know their jobs more too.

“It makes a big difference.

“Five or six months ago Sheffield United would have beaten us on Tuesday, we wouldn’t have taken a point.

“There’s a big difference and it’s pleased to see, I think it shows how far the team has come.

“If anyone was going to win Tuesday’s game I actually think it was us.

“So we were a little disappointed in the end I think.”

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Blackpool sit two points above the League One relegation zone in 18th place, although Fleetwood in 21st have two games in hand on Neil McDonald’s men.

Their recent improvement in results has been built on a new defensive solidity, with Aldred at the heart of it.

It’s something the 24-year-old is hugely proud of.

He said: “It’s nice we are getting back to keeping clean sheets now, I’m pleased how it’s going.

“I think we were unlucky not to get a clean sheet at Walsall on Saturday.

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“The clean sheet mentality is something we want to have around Blackpool now.

“On Tuesday Sheffield United had two very experienced strikers and we dealt with them very well.

“We knew we’d have our hands full but we dealt well with it.

“It does show the difference and how far we’ve come now.

“Earlier in the season we went to Sheffield United and were convincingly beaten 2-0.

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“So to have a clean sheet shows we are making big progress, I actually thought we could have won the game.

“I just didn’t think we got the luck in front of goal on Tuesday night.

“We probably needed the ball to bounce for us somewhere or a bit of luck.”

Saturday brings the third of a treble against some of the division’s better sides, as second placed Gillingham visit Bloomfield Road.

A game which Aldred feels they can win.

“It’s important we can keep the run going now,” he said.

“Our home form is really important too, it can be a key weapon for us.

“We seem to do well against the better teams so hopefully we can continue to do that.”