Tom Bloxham was in good spirits after Blackpool's victory over Stockport County, telling BBC Radio Lancashire that the players had carried out the manager's instructions to the letter.

"We've done what the gaffer wanted," Bloxham said in the post-match interview broadcast on 22 August 2026, adding that scoring in the win made it all the more satisfying on a personal level.

Executing the game plan

Bloxham's words are the kind managers tend to appreciate more than any amount of individual flair. Ian Evatt has spoken previously about wanting a ruthless edge from his Blackpool side, and a win against a fellow third-tier club with genuine ambitions of their own carries real weight in the early-season table.

Stockport County arrived at the fixture with their own positive momentum. Manager Dave McNulty had spoken openly about his side's ambitions for the 2026-27 League One campaign, and the club had moved in the summer transfer window, adding Ethan Ennis from Manchester United to their ranks. A defeat, then, is not a result they would have welcomed, regardless of how early in the season it comes.

For Blackpool, though, the performance appears to have ticked the boxes Evatt sets out in the week on the training pitch. That is the context behind Bloxham's straightforward summary: it was not a lucky win or a scrambled one, by his account, but something closer to a planned job done properly.

Bloxham adding a goal to the cause

The fact that Bloxham got on the scoresheet himself gives the quote a neat extra dimension. Strikers and attacking players in League One live and die by contributions that show up in the numbers, and a goal in a winning cause does exactly that. The 22 August BBC Radio Lancashire clip runs to only a couple of minutes, so there is no extended tactical breakdown, but the tone is focused rather than triumphant, which tends to suggest a dressing room that knows there is more work ahead.

Evatt's Blackpool side had drawn 1-1 with Wycombe in their previous outing, a result the manager acknowledged required more from his players in front of goal. Against Stockport, it appears they provided it.

What it means in the table

Three points against a side of Stockport's standing is a statement of sorts, even if the League One season is young. Stockport had their own play-off final heartbreak at Wembley still relatively fresh in the memory, and they will be among the clubs aiming for automatic promotion or a top-six finish when the picture crystallises later in the year.

Blackpool, meanwhile, will take the confidence of a convincing performance and a player in Bloxham sounding calm and purposeful about the collective effort. Whether that translates into a consistent run is the question every side at this level faces around August, when optimism is still cheap and the table has not yet sorted itself out.

For now, however, Evatt will have got what he wanted from this fixture, which is precisely what his player said.

Frequently asked

Did Blackpool beat Stockport County?
Yes. Blackpool beat Stockport County in a League One fixture on or around 22 August 2026, with Tom Bloxham among the scorers.
Who is Tom Bloxham at Blackpool?
Tom Bloxham is a Blackpool forward who scored in the club's win over Stockport County and spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after the match.
How are Blackpool doing in League One 2026-27?
Blackpool picked up a win over Stockport County in August 2026, following a 1-1 draw with Wycombe. Manager Ian Evatt is looking for consistency and a ruthless edge from his squad.