Blackpool forward shares delight to reunite with ex-Stoke City man as he previews new season

Blackpool forward Ashley Fletcher believes Steve Bruce’s side have what it takes to be a threat in League One this season.

The Seasiders get their campaign started at home to Stevenage on Saturday afternoon, and will be looking to hit the ground running.

Fletcher enjoyed a strong first season at Bloomfield Road, with the ex-Watford man putting past problems behind him to score 11 goals and provide eight assists in 48 appearances.

The 29-year-old enjoyed some of his best displays while playing up front alongside Niall Ennis.

On the back of his successful loan spell in Tangerine, the former Plymouth Argyle man completed a permanent move back to Blackpool for an undisclosed fee from Stoke City last month.

“I was on the phone to him a little bit - unofficially,” Fletcher said.

“I wanted him to come back because we had such a good connection, and I’m thankful the club have been able to get him. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off last year. When he text me saying it might be done - I was buzzing.

“I’ve obviously got that relationship with Blox (Tom Bloxham) as well, and I’m sure there’ll be some new signings through the door as well. I’m looking forward to getting back into it.

“We’ve got some good attacking players, and we’ve got Kylian (Kouassi) and Terry (Bondo) who can step up as well. It’s about putting the chances away when we get them.

“We know on our day, we are a threat in this league. If we can start the season off sharp, and get firing, we’ll see where it takes us.

“The end of last season probably came a little bit too early as I was still playing well, so I’m looking forward to getting back into it.

“With football it’s difficult to switch off, you’ve got to keep yourself in good shape - and that’s what every single person has done.

“There’s a lot of optimism around the team. We feel like we’ve had some good performances in pre-season, but now it’s the time to knuckle down and start the season well.”

‘Gelling well’

Despite being short in some key areas ahead of the opener against Stevenage, the mood remains positive around Squires Gate, based on some of the things Bruce’s side have produced in training, alongside the additions they have already made.

“I’m looking forward to it, I’m glad to get the pre-season games out of the way,” Fletcher added.

“The squad is gelling well, we tried something new against Doncaster with the formation - and I think we caused them issues. It’s good to have that adaptability. We only did it because of needs must with the amount of injuries we’ve got, but there were good spells.

“I’ve played a lot in the last few weeks, which is what I needed, as it gets me right up to speed. I’m just looking forward to the real stuff now.”

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