New arrivals at Fleetwood but backroom team to stay
Barton is expected to bring in his own men to support him in his first managerial role.But it is understood any new arrivals would work alongside current coaches Barry Nicholson and Paul Murray, goalkeeping coach David Lucas and head of sports science Youl Mawene, among others.Carlisle player Hill, 39, a team-mate of Barton at Rangers and QPR, has been spotted watching Town games with the incoming head coach.Ex-Rochdale boss Eyre, who has known Barton for more than 20 years due to their involvement with the Manchester City academy, is one of the favourites to be in Barton’s first managerial team. Eyre left Chesterfield in the opening weeks of the season.The club is yet to confirm Barton’s assistants but The Gazette understands Nicholson and company will not be leaving.An official announcement about Barton’s staff is expected after Saturday’s final League One game of the season at home to Walsall. It will be John Sheridan’s last game in charge, with Barton set to take over from the man who steered Town to safety on June 2.And Nicholson expects everything to be ironed out when the season closes. He said: “We have not really spoken about it yet. That will be for after Saturday.“We will probably have a chance to sit down and decide what is happening.”It is also anticipated the club will announce its retained list once the season is over.Only long-serving skipper Nathan Pond, midfielder George Glendon and keeper Chris Neal will be out of contract this summer. The club has options to extend the deals of all three for another year.It is unclear whether the trio’s contracts will be extended but all three were recalled to the starting line-up for Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Peterborough.It was captain Pond’s 497th game in a 15-year Fleetwood career which has seen the 33-year-old break the club’s appearances record and climb with Town from the North West Counties to League One.Nicholson said decisions on contracts are not in his hands. “People at the club will decide that and the new manager will have a look as well. These decisions will be made by other people.”