Fleetwood want to be a force

The Cod Army’s remarkable ascent up the pyramid is virtually unparalleled in modern times as chairman Andy Pilley arrived to inspire the six promotions in 10 years which took them into League One.

Graham Alexander’s men finished a respectable 10th in their maiden campaign in the third tier but a club that have never rested on their laurels are still looking up rather than down.

The speed of their rise means they have a smaller ground, attendances and budget compared to some of the other big hitters in their division, so Fleetwood have had to think outside the box to remain competitive.

A partnership with Uzbekistan side Lokomotiv Tashkent was announced in April and recent player recruitment has focused more on young players who can come through the ranks at Highbury.

“We are at a crossroads now as to where we go as a football club,” admitted chief executive Steve Curwood.

“We have to shake off our quirky background and this little Fleetwood Town badge that we might have and what we’ve achieved.

“We want to become a respected, well thought of as a well-run football club that has its traditions in the Football League. That’s what we’ve got to try and create.

“Realistically we can’t punch with the Bristol City’s and the Sheffield United’s budget-wise and infrastructure-wise.

“We will never be, for the foreseeable future, around those football clubs, so that’s why we have to do things in a different way, our own way, and find a way of competing with them without that significant financial muscle.”