AFC Fylde loan Derby County youngster
AFC Fylde have signed defender Max Bardell on a month-long loan from Championship club Derby County.
The right-back had spent time in the Manchester City and Huddersfield Town Academy set-ups before joining Derby in 2019.
He made his debut for the Rams in the FA Cup against Chorley in January 2021, before another appearance in the same competition against Torquay United in November 2022.
Bardell made 17 Premier League 2 appearances in his first year as a professional, featuring at right-back and centre-half.
He said: “I’m really excited and ambitious to get some senior games under my belt.
“I’ll learn a lot. I’ve been around a first-team environment at Derby but I’ve not been too involved, so I’m really looking forward to learning a lot off the players here.
“I’ve worked with the gaffer at Derby and he’s a huge name in football, so I’m hoping to learn a lot during my time here.”
The 21-year-old is the first signing made since Fylde head coach Kevin Phillips said he wanted ‘four or five’ new faces at Mill Farm.
He added: “We’ve needed some more quality in that area, especially since Bryce Hosannah suffered an injury, so we’re really pleased to add Max to our ranks.
“He’s been unlucky with injuries but he is highly thought of at Derby and we’re hoping to get the best out of him here during his time with us.
“He’s had experience playing in both a central role and a wide right-back position, so he gives us some good cover and a fresh face amongst the group.”