Blackpool new boy and former Liverpool, Tottenham and Hull City man outlines what fans can expect to see from him

The 27-year-old, who played under head coach Neil Critchley during his time in Liverpool’s academy, joined Blackpool on Saturday.

The energetic midfielder, who has signed an 18-month contract, was most recently with Hull City, where he made 78 appearances during three seasons in the Championship.

When asked what Blackpool supporters can expect to see from him, Stewart explained: “My strong point is defensively in terms of making it hard for the other team and being really aggressive and tough to play against.

“I win a lot of second balls, I make a lot of interceptions and a lot of tackles to help get the team on the front foot.

“I like to press, I don’t like to be passive whatsoever and I’d like to think I can handle the ball well too, so hopefully I can get back to the level I was at previously and bring it to this team.”

Stewart made the move to Hull for a substantial transfer fee from Liverpool in 2017, having featured in 20 games for the Premier League giants.

Initially on the books of Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster, he has also spent time out on loan with the likes of Crewe Alexandra, Swindon Town and Burton Albion.

Knowing Critchley so well is a big plus for Stewart, who says it will help him settle in on the Fylde coast.

“We know each other well. We were at Liverpool together and he would have coached me quite often while I was at the academy the same time as he was,” Stewart added.

“We have very similar ideas, similar ways of playing and I have an understanding of what he likes. He obviously knows me really well and he knows what I’m good at and how I like to play.

“It’s definitely a good fit and a good platform for me to be in to have someone like that.

“It gives me a bit of peace of mind as well because it’s not like we’ll have to spend a lot of time getting to know each other. That’s normally the case when you join a new club when you’re working for a new manager you don’t know.

“That means I should settle in a lot quicker which should give me the best chance of doing well.”

Stewart is Blackpool's second signing of the January transfer window, following in the footsteps of Ellis Simms who signed on loan from Everton last week.

The striker made his debut off the bench during Saturday’s FA Cup defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

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