Danny Rowe: EFL place is AFC Fylde's destiny

Danny Rowe (left) and Dan Bradley are Wembley bound Picture: STEVE MCLELLAN

Prime Minister Theresa May congratulates AFC Fylde for reaching two Wembley fina...

Fylde had just been promoted to National League North when Rowe joined from then Conference club Lincoln City in the summer of 2014.

His goals would ultimately propel Fylde to the top tier of non-league in 2017.

And after defeat in the first round of the play-offs last term, the 29-year-old Fylde coast native is determined to get to the Football League.

Rowe has netted 32 times in all competitions this season and shared top spot in the league’s goalscoring chart with Eastleigh’s Paul McCallum on 27,

And now Rowe says that when he signed on the dotted line in August 2014, he knew the club would follow in the footsteps of near neighbours Fleetwood Town – his former club – by knocking on the door of the EFL.

As they prepare to face Salford City at Wembley, did Rowe think Fylde would get to this position when he arrived?

He said: “Truthfully, yeah. When I joined I always thought that it was a club similar to Fleetwood in a lot of ways. It is different in some ways too.

“I always looked at it and thought that with the backing they have they would get to the Football League at some point.

“When you have an owner who backs the club in the right way it is always going to happen, but we are not in the League yet.

“We have a chance this year but we will get into the League in the next few years regardless.”

And Rowe is delighted to be heading to Wembley, not once but twice in the coming days.

After Saturday’s play-off final, Fylde will be back at the national stadium eight days later to battle it out with National League champions Leyton Orient for the FA Trophy.

He said: “Growing up as a kid you watch England play at Wembley and it is the best stadium in my opinion.

“Everyone should want to play there and play in big games.

“We are coming to the end of the season and that is what we have got. Everyone should be looking forward to the games.”

The club shop will be open until 8pm on Thursday and Friday. Travel packages remain available after the club announced a scheme to charge under-16s just £5 for coach places.

The club has also opened a pop-up shop on Clifton Street, Lytham.