Youth key to growth of club, says Andy

Town striker Wes Burns popped into the Broadway school to meet young fans after Pilley generously funded a coach to take 50 of them to Glanford Park to watch the clash between two of League One’s top three teams.

Town are set for their biggest away following of the season this weekend and Pilley hopes more young people will get behind their local club.

He said: “It is incredibly important that we create a generation of fans for the future. It was great to see the tickets snapped up.

“It is always very important that I consider whether the supporters enjoy the games. Are they going to come back? Who could possibly not enjoy the way we are playing? Hopefully these children who are starting to come along on a regular basis will be with us for decades and create generations of new fans.

“We are conscious it is incredibly expensive for working families to watch football now, especially away from home.

“We are trying to make it easier for people to come and support us. We are trying to give them a day out on a Saturday and the support has been noticeably far far better, far, far noisier, and long may it continue. I really like it.”

Forward Burns said: “It is good to see that young people are really interested. Saturday is a huge game for us. We are doing a lot of prep on the training ground and it is good to see the fans doing their prep, with the singing and chanting. Hopefully they will bring the noise on Saturday.”

Fleetwood High School head teacher Richard Barnes said: “I go every weekend and see loads of our students there. A lot of them can’t afford to go to away games and it is great they are being given the chance to do that.”