Pilley: Joey will attract players to Fleetwood

Fleetwood Town chairman Andy Pilley expects the appointment of Joey Barton as head coach to entice players to join the club this summer.
Andy PilleyAndy Pilley
Andy Pilley

If the £10m-plus Poolfoot Farm complex is not enough to tempt players to join the League One club, then owner Pilley says the “exciting” appointment of Barton should be another attraction to potential recruits.Pilley says the ex-Burnley, and Manchester City midfielder, who will take over when his ban from football for breaching FA betting regulations ends on June 2, has many friends in football.And Pilley hopes the 35-year-old can use that network of contacts when he takes on his first managerial role at Highbury.And Pilley says his decision to give the controversial Barton his big break in management has already boosted the profile of the club.The chairman said of Barton: “He has many friends within the game and I’m sure there will be lots of players out there who are now thinking, ‘Wow, that looks like an exciting appointment. That looks like a real adventure. I would not mind being involved at Fleetwood because it is bound to be entertaining’.”“I think he will be able to influence players to come to Fleetwood and I think he has boosted the profile of the club already.”Pilley has handed Barton a three-year deal and hopes the Liverpudlian can ultimately guide Fleetwood into the Championship.Pilley wants to see his team winning again in 2018/19 after an inconsistent season that included a four-month stretch without a win in the league at Highbury.That victory drought only ended after John Sheridan took over from Uwe Rosler in February and steered the club to League One safety.Not only does Pilley want to build on that winning feeling Sheridan brought back to the club, he wants to do in a packed stadium.And that is something he hopes the star power of Barton can help to achieve. He added: “I want to see the stadium full. I want to see us winning and I want to see us winning in front of a full stadium. “I think this is a step in the right direction and will undoubtedly increase our status as a football club.”