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