Fylde coach warns places are up for grabs

Fylde RFC head coach Warren Spragg has warned that no player can take his place for granted in the upcoming National League One season.
Harlan Corrie is among the new arrivals at Fylde RFCHarlan Corrie is among the new arrivals at Fylde RFC
Harlan Corrie is among the new arrivals at Fylde RFC

Spragg, who will have his first full-scale match in charge against Cambridge at the Woodlands on September 2, said: “There is competition for places in every position in the team.

“There can be no guarantee to anyone that they will have an automatic place.”

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Fylde have undertaken a substantial change in personnel over the summer months since the end of the 2016-17 campaign with an influx of new players and several departures.

Spragg said: “There may be one more potential signing, possibly two.

“We would liked to have sorted things out yesterday, but it doesn’t always work out like that.”

Spragg is keen to get the right balance in his squad and says that in the club’s recruitment policy has been selective, while taking care not to antagonise local clubs.

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He said: “We want to mix the best young talent we have with experienced top-end players.

“We don’t want to ransack other clubs of their players and create ill-feeling; we feel that is not the right way to go about it.”

Fylde intend to maintain their close alliance with Aviva Premiership club Sale Sharks by continuing the policy of dual registration.

Nothing has yet been finalised between the two clubs and, in any case, Sale players will not come into early consideration for a first team spot at Fylde because they are likely to be involved in five A League fixtures with the Sharks in the opening weeks of the season.

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Prior to the opening league fixture, Fylde have arranged two friendly matches.

They travel to Sedgley Tigers on August 17, while on the 26th, Fylde take on Bury St Edmunds at the Woodlands.

So far in the close season, Fylde have brought on board the likes of Olli Parkinson, Adam McCarthy, Tom Grimes, Jack Harrison, Harlan Corrie and Mark Irving.

Head coach Spragg said the players who had joined the club had fitted in well and had shown the right determination to push for places, while pre-season training had gone entirely to plan so far.

“The lads are all in good shape and as for their fitness I would never be responsible for sending out a side that wasn’t fully fit,” he said.