Fleetwood Town youngsters impress Highbury head coach

James Hill started the first league game of the season against Burton Albion, with Harrison Holgate and Jay Matete coming off the bench.

There was particular praise for Hill and Holgate but Matete also caught the eye of the head coach.

Barton said: “Harrison Holgate was a tad unfortunate to miss out but they both performed really, really well.

“Hilly made his second league start, the first being over two seasons ago. I thought he was immense.

“I’m really pleased, I’m pleased for everyone at the football club, the academy, everyone.

“That’s what the lifeblood of this club is, developing young players.

“Jay Matete came on and did superbly in carrying out the tasks that we asked him to do.

“Everybody at the football club should be really proud.”

The Cod Army have started the season well with Peterborough United their next opponents on Saturday but there is no risk of anyone getting carried away.

“When I’m around people’s feet are firmly on the ground,” Barton said ahead of last night’s game with Port Vale.

“I don’t think I have to worry about that but as a manager you want continuity.

“We didn’t always get that because we lost a lot of key players but they can let their heads go down – but we don’t as a group.

“I think that’s the reason the lads are able to perform as they are on a consistent basis, because the one thing my team has always done during my time as a manager – we haven’t always been brilliant, we haven’t always been perfect, we haven’t won every game – but the one thing we have done is to be competitive and we pride ourselves on that.

“If you’ve got that as a core principle you’ve got to be pleased as a manager.

“It’s not like a light switch where you have bad habits and you’re able to just flick a switch and turn good ones on at the weekend.

“We talk about excellence being a habit and therefore you are what you can do.

“I think there is a quote from Aristotle – I haven’t got it to hand – specific to that but it is what you do, you are a product of your habits and we’re starting to regularly win games, putting three wins in a row together in a competitive season.”