AFC Fylde players to step up their preparations

AFC Fylde boss Dave Challinor is expecting to name more of a recognised line-up for today's pre-season friendly against Carlisle United.
AFC Fylde meet Carlisle United today after matches against Preston North End and Squires GateAFC Fylde meet Carlisle United today after matches against Preston North End and Squires Gate
AFC Fylde meet Carlisle United today after matches against Preston North End and Squires Gate

Fylde welcome the League Two outfit to Mill Farm this afternoon having fielded a host of trialists in their previous two games – the 6-1 defeat to Preston North End and the 4-0 victory against Squires Gate.

Challinor, whose side take on Blackpool on Tuesday, told The Gazette there will be fewer changes for today’s fixture.

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“It will be a little bit more different this weekend,” he told The Gazette.

“In the first game of pre-season you ideally don’t want anyone playing more than 60 minutes. For that to be the case you’ve got to have 10 outfield subs and a keeper, so you need bodies.

“I didn’t mind sacrificing any result or performance to get the right number of minutes into the lads’ legs and not risking anything.

“It was a bit different on Tuesday as a couple got 90 minutes, which will be good for them. They probably won’t start this weekend though and we’ll limit their minutes.

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“Now we’re pushing for the lads to get between 75 and 90 minutes, so that requires less subs for us which means we’ll use the lads we have got signed at the moment.

“That means there will be a lot less changes than there were in the last two games, but ultimately we’re still looking at players to bring into the squad.

“With a lot of the trialists we’ve brought in, a lot of them were youngsters who could potentially develop into good players.

“At the moment with the way our squad is, I probably need four or five minimum who are going to go into my first team straight away and challenge for starting places.

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“Because of that you probably need players who are a bit more experienced and of a better standard straight away. We’ve got to get tried and tested if we can and I’m hopeful we can do that over the next week or so.

“I don’t think Carlisle will be of the level of Preston because we were really impressed with them.

“I expect it to be a little more even, especially as we’re a bit further along the line with our preparations.

“We’ll have a team out there which is more familiar with each in terms of positions and having played with each other before.

“I expect us to be better for that but again, it’s another process that needs ticking off in terms of minutes.”