Ryan Glover has described Stockport County's start to the 2026-27 League One season as "really positive", with the winger speaking to BBC Radio Manchester ahead of the Hatters' fixture against Blackpool.

A confident mood at Edgeley Park

Glover's assessment will come as little surprise to those who have been watching County closely. The Hatters have already picked up a 3-1 victory this term, a result that head coach Dave McNulty has already credited to his players' collective effort. A settled squad, bolstered by the summer arrival of Ethan Ennis from Manchester United, has given Edgeley Park genuine optimism about what this campaign can deliver.

For Glover himself, the opening weeks appear to have provided exactly the platform he was looking for. As a wide player, he relies on tempo and confidence, and the early results suggest that County are generating both. Speaking in a brief interview on BBC Sounds, the winger was clear that the group is in a good place mentally and physically as the fixtures begin to stack up.

The Blackpool test

The timing of Glover's comments is significant. Stockport are preparing to face Blackpool, another third-tier side with genuine aspirations this season. Blackpool arrive at this fixture having drawn 1-1 with Wycombe Wanderers, a result that manager Ian Evatt described as showing real resilience from his side despite giving away what he considered avoidable goals.

Blackpool's defensive record will be something Stockport will have noted carefully. In that Wycombe draw, Tom Cleverley's side felt they had conceded softly, suggesting there may be opportunities for a County attack that has already shown it can find the net with conviction. Glover, operating from a wide position, will be central to any attempt to stretch Blackpool's backline and create the kind of space that led to County's goals earlier in the campaign.

Equally, Stockport will need to be disciplined themselves. Blackpool have a structure under Evatt that tends to make teams work hard for openings, and County will know a repeat of the 3-1 performance is not something that arrives without serious application.

What this early-season form means

It is only August, and no-one at Edgeley Park will be getting carried away. McNulty has spoken publicly about his ambitions for the 2026-27 season in League One, and after last season's play-off final defeat at Wembley, there is real hunger in the dressing room to go one better this time around.

What the early signs do suggest, however, is that Stockport have retained the core of a competitive squad and added to it sensibly. Glover's positivity is not empty optimism; it is grounded in a group that has been through the play-off experience together and knows what it takes to compete at this level over a long season.

For County supporters, a winger talking up the collective rather than his own form is usually a reasonable indicator that the team spirit McNulty has been building is genuine. Whether that translates into three points against Blackpool remains to be seen, but the foundations look solid.

The two sides meeting in August, both with aspirations and both with decent early momentum, makes for an intriguing early-season contest in the third tier. Glover, for one, sounds ready for it.

Frequently asked

How has Stockport County started the 2026-27 League One season?
Stockport have made an encouraging start, picking up a 3-1 win and with winger Ryan Glover describing the opening weeks as 'really positive'. Head coach Dave McNulty has praised his players' collective effort in the early stages of the campaign.
When are Stockport County playing Blackpool?
Stockport County are due to face Blackpool in League One in the early part of the 2026-27 season. The exact date was not confirmed in the available report, but the fixture is imminent following Glover's BBC Radio Manchester interview on 21 August 2026.
Who is Ryan Glover at Stockport County?
Ryan Glover is a winger in Stockport County's League One squad. He spoke to BBC Radio Manchester about the Hatters' start to the 2026-27 season and the upcoming match against Blackpool.