Special message from the Chairman
Firstly, I’d like to wish all Fleetwood Town fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
As a club we end the year in fantastic condition on and off the field, something we should all be very proud of.
While on-the-field the first half of 2016 wasn’t up to the standards we expect, off-the-field we made major steps forward with the completion of our £9m training complex at Poolfoot Farm. The facility is something which will become a major part of our strategy going forward and hopefully will become my best ever investment at Fleetwood Town.
On the field we were delighted to attract Uwe Rosler, a Head Coach of real pedigree and stature in the game, and his start has been very encouraging, as is our league position just outside the play-off places.
I’m sure you’ll agree that the style in which the team play at the moment is fantastic to watch, with the Boxing Day draw with Bury the first time in 23 league games the team had failed to score.
Poolfoot Farm is now in full operation since opening in April, and has had a huge impact on the club. As well as being an incredible community hub for the Fylde coast, it’s also already proving hugely beneficial in our recruitment. Some of the signings we’ve managed to attract so far this year, and hope to in January, are testament to the facilities we can now offer.
Just as positive is the impact the complex has had on the local community. Poolfoot Farm boasts some of the best 3G pitches in the country, and in evenings they are jam-packed with local footballers and of course our very own Academy.
In 2016 our Academy was awarded Category 3 status which everyone at Fleetwood Town are proud of.
We now have more than 140 young players registered to the club, and it was great to see young goalkeeper Billy Crellin become the first product of this system to sign a professional deal with the club.
We are hoping he’s the first of many to break through, although we are fully aware of the patience needed when it comes to developing young players.
In the coming year we have plans to improve our Academy further, with the long term goal a step-up to Category 2 status.
Finally a message to the fans, your support has been superb once again, it really doesn’t go unnoticed.
In 2017 we aim to grow our fanbase further, and we are already working hard on improving our fan engagement, as well as our commitment to continue to make tickets as affordable as possible for our supporters.
Happy New Year.
Andy Pilley
Fleetwood Town Chairman