AFC Fylde boss Challinor ready to scrap for signings this summer

AFC Fylde boss Dave Challinor anticipates fierce competition for the names on his transfer wish list.
Dave ChallinorDave Challinor
Dave Challinor
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AFC Fylde boss Challinor ready for another summer of big changes

The Coasters currently have seven contracted players and Challinor is keen to build his squad for next season as soon as possible.

After Fylde confirmed a pre-season friendly at home to Blackpool on July 24, Challinor said: “Recruitment now is massively important and we know where we want to strengthen.“The challenge is now getting those players that will not only strengthen the squad but also fit in with what we want to do. “Ideally I’d like to have all signings done and a squad in place by the start of pre-season but that’s very rarely possible. “We may have to be patient. The good players out there will be sought after, not just by ourselves. “The ones that we would like to speak to, a lot of other clubs will want to speak to them too.“Those teams may well be higher up in the pyramid and may have more financial backing which presents it own challenges.”Newly-promoted Salford City are one club that could directly rival Fylde on the transfer front over the summer.Managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley left the club by mutual consent last week despite guiding them to promotion.Former Scunthorpe United boss Graham Alexander has taken the reins and Challinor admits that Salford’s financial clout could see them challenge for promotion next season.“Nothing surprises you in football,” Challinor added.“You obviously feel for Anthony and Bernard because they have done a good job there and earned the club promotion.“Regardless of the money they have had to spend and whether it was them picking the players or someone else, ultimately they achieved their objective of getting the club out of that league.“They will go from having the biggest budget in the league below to potentially having the biggest budget in this league too.“The new manager will have an open cheque book in terms of transfers but it’s not always that easy.“I don’t see any reason why they won’t do well.“Their financial backing and transfer ambitions will be far and away above the usual levels of this league. “They will blow other clubs out of the water with what they can offer, but that doesn’t always guarantee success. “No one would have thought Hartlepool would have struggled this year with their budget, similarly with Leyton Orient. “On the other hand, Macclesfield managed to win the league on a shoestring, while Ebbsfleet, Boreham Wood and ourselves managed to make the play-offs with budgets at the lower end of the scale.“Our budget will probably be below halfway in the league compared to the rest, but we still have an opportunity to compete.”

The friendly against on Tuesday, July 24 will be Blackpool's first visit to Mill Farm.

The match will kick-off at 7.30pm and ticket details will be confirmed shortly.