AFC Fylde veterans aim to be around for a long time

Chris Neal and Nathan Pond are now at AFC Fylde after their spells with Fleetwood Town and Salford City

Since teaming up at Fleetwood Town four years ago, there has been no separating the seasoned campaigners.

They both left Highbury in 2018 for two seasons at Salford City, helping the Ammies to climb out of non-league via a Wembley play-off final win over Fylde 15 months ago.

Neal and Pond, now 34 and 35 respectively, were back in the EFL last season with Salford but have now dropped two levels for a crack at promotion with the Coasters.

Their ambition doesn’t end there, as Neal told the club website: “I would like to think there are a few more years left in me yet! I think I can get to 40, and I know Pondy will be the exact same.

“He’s as fit as they come. He’s in great shape and I would like to think I am too, so touch wood we stay injury-free and we’ll be good to go for a few more years yet.”

They aren’t the oldest arrivals following the signing of David Perkins at 38, and Neal believes the experienced pros have an important role.

He added: “I also want to help the younger lads if I can, as do all the older heads here.

“Anyone can speak to us when they need help, and that will only help us gel together and be tighter as a group.

“Young lads may not necessarily have years of experience but they are huge in the group.

“They add something different and if we can marry everything up then we will have a very good team here.

“Pondy and I have a strong relationship and we each know our games pretty well. That does help, but we know the quality that is already here at the club. Now we all need to work on playing together as one to move forward.”

Neal, with 240 EFL appearances to his name, says the younger and older players are united by a common goal, adding: “The direction the club wants to go in is great.

“What happened last year with relegation we are hoping was just a blip. For some reason it was a bit of an off-season but hopefully we can rectify that this season.

“Nothing in football is a given, but having spoken with Jim (Bentley, manager) it’s clear that the vision this club has is to be in the Football League and that appeals to any footballer. It’s a club that wants to go places and I want to be part of that. I can’t wait to get going now.”