Experienced goalkeeper David Lucas has been brought in as a full-time goalkeeping coach, and as competition for the first-team jersey.
By Sam GillilandExperienced goalkeeper David Lucas has been brought in as a full-time goalkeeping coach, and as competition for the first-team jersey.
The 35-year-old arrives following a six-month spell with Championship side Birmingham City, and will take his first big steps into coaching with Fleetwood.
Lucas, who will also provide backup to Scott Davies and Chris Maxwell in goal, said: “This was an opportunity too good for me to turn down.”
“I’ve had a taster with Graham Alexander and Chris Lucketti at Preston North End, working with their youth team and academies on my day off, and it’s something I have really enjoyed as I’ve got older.”
“The chance to work with senior goalkeepers is something I’ve been itching to do, and to combine that with playing while I’m still fit and able is fantastic.”
Lucas has made more than 300 hundred appearances in the Football League across nine different clubs, and feels he still has many more years to offer as a player.
He said: “I feel as fit as I have done for the last three or four years. Sometimes it feels like I’m going to carry on playing forever.”
“I want to play for as long as I can, and I’ll be honest with myself when I can’t do things to the standard I’m used to.”
“The main thing for me is to keep pushing the youngsters, and try to make Scott Davies and Chris Maxwell better and more confident goalkeepers, but I know that I will be more than ready to step in if needed.”
Manager Graham Alexander has hailed Lucas as a great addition, and believes the club is becoming more professional as a result.
Alexander said: “We need to get up to the professional level that we’re competing with every week in this division, and David brings that professionalism.”
“I’ve always believed that goalkeeping is a very specialist position, and I don’t think goalkeepers get enough technical coaching if they’re just included in the normal training.”
“We needed someone who has been there and done it, and we were fortunate to have had Steve McIlhargey’s experience in place before.”
“We want to thank Steve for what he did with the club because he was fantastic for the lads, but now we move forwards. We want to get up to the professional standards that we and the Chairman expect.”