Football Season Guide

Fleetwood were the League One surprise package in 2016/17 by making the play-offs, but the previous season was not as successful for the Cod Army, as it saw them battle against relegation before being guided to safety by John Sheridan, who took over on a short-term deal in the second half of the campaign. Somewhat surprisingly, given the good job he did, Sheridan was not offered a new deal, with the club making the controversial decision to name Joey Barton their new manager. The former midfielder will therefore get his first piece of managerial experience with the Cod Army, and it remains to be seen if working as a manager will cause Barton to change his public personality, as his career as a player was marred by numerous controversies, including several bans for violent behaviour and a betting ban. Given their managerial change, it is hardly a surprise that Fleetwood had a summer squad clear-out. Two most notable players to have left are skipper Nathan Pond, who departs after 15 years with the club, while the decision to let Toumani Diagouraga go was somewhat of a surprise, given that the holding midfielder was a regular. However, the list of summer arrivals includes several interesting names. Chris Long, Tommy Spurr and Craig Morgan are all quality players at this level, while in James Wallace and Ched Evans, Fleetwood have taken a punt on two supremely talented players who will be hoping to get their careers back on track, with Wallace struggling with injuries and Evans falling off the rails after spending two-and-a-half years in jail for a crime he was later acquitted of. Fleetwood's squad definitely seems stronger than it was last season, but there is a big question mark hanging over their choice of manager.