AFC Fylde boss Jim Bentley 'shocked' by quality of league reveals owner

The Coasters return to league action at Hereford on Saturday, having dropped points in three of their last four games after an excellent start.

Since suffering their only defeat to date at Curzon Ashton, Fylde have conceded stoppage-time equalisers against both Leamington and Bradford (Park Avenue).

Nick Chadwick is currently steering the ship while Bentley recuperates after heart surgery last week, and chairman Haythornthwaite is satisfied to see his side second in the table after 10 games.

But the businessman who oversaw Fylde’s rise through the non-league ranks insists he never doubted they would face a difficult season back in a division of mostly part-time clubs.

Haythornthwaite told the club website: “Last time I spoke to Jim just before he went into hospital, I said to him: ‘As I told you, this is a tough league.’

“I’ve been in them all, down to the very bottom, and you have to go a long way down to find really bad teams and really bad leagues. National North has some good sides, including six ex-Football League teams.

“These are well-organised sides and there are no gimmes. If you don’t turn up you are going to get turned over.

“Those Bradford lads had been to Spennymoor on the Saturday, worked all day and travelled over the top to play us but they put a shift in. They are part-time and we’re full-time but you can’t let your guard down.

“I think Jim and his management team have been shocked by the standard of football in this division.

“But we’ve got 21 points from 10 games. That’s 2.1 per game and if we keep that up we’ll be champions.

“We’ve made a good start and played some great football, which is most important to me because I’m fanatical about playing the game the right way. All in all I’m happy with the way it’s going.”

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