AFC Fylde appoint ex-Wigan coach Nick Chadwick as assistant manager as former Blackpool player Andy Taylor moves into new role

Chadwick, 37, has spent close to five years at Wigan Athletic, working mainly as development coach and overseeing the progress of young players through to the first team.

The former Everton and Plymouth Argyle striker is well known to manager Jim Bentley and will stand in for the Coasters boss while he recuperates after heart surgery.

Chadwick said: “I am really delighted to be coming to the club. I got a call from Jim a few weeks ago to see if I fancied it and I definitely did. I know there’s been a few changes at the club and the direction we’re looking to go in, so I want to be part of that.

“This is a great opportunity for me as I have had some great success working with the academy at Wigan, so this is now the next sensible step for me to take at a progressive club and be part of a journey.

“I have known Jim for quite a few years. We did our A Licence together and played together for a short time at Morecambe.”

Bentley said: “I’ve known Nick for many years and he’s a great professional, hard working and,above all, a good person. After a successful playing career at many different levels, he's now got plenty of experience coaching at Under-18 and U23 level and has done a fantastic job at Wigan."

Defender Taylor will assume the role of performance analyst as he continues his rehabilitation following a knee ligament injury shortly before lockdown in March.

The 34-year joined Fylde last October and has made 15 appearances. He had previously played more than 300 EFL games for eight clubs and captained Blackpool during a two-year stay (2016-18).

On his switch of focus to coaching at Mill Farm, Taylor said: “The role means I will be analysing the opposition, putting together video footage for the manager and the team to see their patterns and style of play. But, also, what excites me about this role is the freedom to dip into other areas as well. I’ll be doing bits of coaching and getting involved in pretty much everything really.

Bentley added: “I’ve been really impressed with Tayls since I came to the club. He’s a dedicated individual and a top professional who is highly respected not just at AFC Fylde but throughout football. This new role with give him the opportunity to dip his toes in all departments of the football side of the club.

“He’s nearly qualified as a sports scientist, he enjoys coaching and will also cover the analysis which I feel is a massive part of the team's development and match preparation. Being with us also gives him the opportunity to recover from his ACL injury. ”