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Ex-Stoke City and Plymouth Argyle striker shares Blackpool FC belief after tough 12 months Blackpool progressed to the second round of the EFL Cup with a 3-1 victory over Grimsby Town in their first outing of the 2026/27 season. Niall Ennis enjoyed a quick start to the new season - with his first goal of the campaign coming after three minutes in Blackpool’s 3-1 victory over Grimsby Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup. The forward will be looking to leave his mark at Bloomfield Road this term, having endured his fair share of frustrations in Tangerine over the past 12 months. An initial loan spell on the Fylde Coast proved to be a success for the 27-year-old, as he built on the form he’d demonstrated previously with Plymouth Argyle in the third. This prompted the Seasiders to negotiate a permanent deal with Stoke City, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing since then. After bagging three goals at the start of last season, a three-match ban followed by a lengthy spell out injured wiped out the first half of the 2025/26 campaign for Ennis, with the months after Christmas proving to be a challenge as well as he strived to return to full fitness. With a full summer schedule under his belt, followed by a good shift in the Carabao Cup, the former England youth international is now looking to get back to his best. Subscribe now for HALF PRICE and catch every minute of our Seasiders coverage this season - from pre-season to the final whistle. Click here “I started well last season, but then got the red card, which meant there was a month between my games,” he said. “I then played two more, and was then out for four months. It was stop and start, so it was good to have an off-season just strengthening my body - mentally as well. Not just for myself, but for the fans as well, it was a long, draining season. “It was nice to have a pre-season where I was fit for the whole time, and then just being fresh and being back to myself. “You want to start well, because strikers are paid to get goals. Scoring so early made it a lot easier to settle in the game and focus on my touches. “We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have self belief, so I had that in myself, it’s just about putting the work in and doing it on the pitch. “It’s a team game, and if I play to my best, then I can help the team.”