Pond targets next level

Fleetwood Town's Nathan Pond and Chesterfield's Connor Dimaio

The club’s all-time appearance record holder, Pond etched his name into the world record books in 2014 when he played his first League One game.

No other footballer has played in so many divisions for the same club as 31-year-old Pond

His 451 games for Fleetwood span seven levels – from the North West Counties League to EFL League One.

Pond says the Championship is his and the club’s target but he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground as Town prepare to host bottom club Oldham tomorrow.

He said: “That (the next level) is my target and Fleetwood’s target. You always want to aim for the next level.

“If we can do it, it would be brilliant but we will take it game by game.”

Whatever happens tomorrow, there will be no New Year revelling for Pond and his team-mates as they look ahead to Monday’s trip to Shrewsbury.

He said: “At home we fancy our chance against anyone. We’ve got to get the job done New Year’s Eve, then we’ll just go for a meal or something because we have another game two days later.

“We can’t really celebrate like other people. There are a lot of games coming up, so as athletes we have to look after our bodies.

“We have to watch what we eat and drink because there is a short space to rest between games and you need to be at your best.”

After six promotions, Pond had the unusual experience of a relegation scrap last season, though he says the club is again looking upwards under Uwe Rosler.

Town go into the Oldham clash on a nine-match unbeaten run and Pond said: “This (the unbeaten run) could have happened a lot earlier but we did all pre-season with one manager and then a new manager came in.

“But he (Rosler) has been superb. The lads are buying into his ideas and he is getting his style across.

“Our mentality is changing. We don’t want to be looking down – we want to be looking up and the lads have responded brilliantly. The run we have been on proves it.

“Sometimes it is good to have a change of manager because you pick up different ideas and ways of playing from them, which adds to your game.”