Pond prepares to make more history with Fleetwood

Pond is already a club legend, having etched his name deep in the club’s history books thanks to his six promotions all the way from the North West Counties to League One.

After joining the club in 2003, aged 18, the now 32-year-old Pond broke the club’s all-time appearance record with 422 in 2015-16 and is now 38 games away from 500.

And Pond is keen to keep progressing and improving as Town bid to build on last term’s fourth-placed finish.

He said: “I had one of my better seasons last season. I had 39 appearances, which is good for me and an improvement on the year before, so if I can improve on that I will get to that 500 mark. It is going to be tough with competition for places but whenever the team needs me I will be ready!”

Town’s pre-season officially started yesterday and new centre-half Harvey Rodgers, the 20-year-old signed from Hull City, trained with his new team-mates.

And with last season’s player of the year Cian Bolger and Pond’s fellow Prestonian Ash Eastham also battling it out for places, Pond says the centre-halves will push each other to be the best they can be.

He said of the competition: “It is only good for us all and for the club. Last season I think me, Cian and Ash all played around the same number of games. It keeps everyone on their toes.

“You have to keep your form and keep playing well, because if you are not playing well someone is always there to step in for you.”