Fleetwood receive backlash from fans after making decision to sack Pete Wild

Fleetwood Town receive some backlash from fans after making the decision to sack their manager Pete Wild following defeat to Colchester.

The U’s boosted their League Two playoff hopes with Kyreece Lisbie headed in Jack Payne’s free-kick to make it 1-0 on 14 minutes, then shortly before half time, Micah Mbick got on the end of Samson Tovide’s cross to send the ball low into the corner making it 2-0.

Fleetwood showed some improvement in the second half following half-time substitutions and got one back in the 79th minute through a volley from Ethan Ennis on the edge of the box.

Despite late pressure, Colchester held on to extend their unbeaten run to six games. They sit 8th with 42 points from 26 games played while Fleetwood are 15th with 34 points.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Fleetwood Town can confirm Pete Wild has left the club with immediate effect.

Following six defeats in the last seven games the club felt now is the right time to make a change to the First Team management.

Assistant Head Coach Adam Temple will also depart and everyone at the club would like to place on record their thanks to Pete and Adam for their hard work and professionalism during his time at the club.

Fleetwood Town can confirm that Matt Lawlor has been named Interim Head Coach of the club until the end of the season.

Lawlor, 37, steps-up from his role as First Team Coach and will be assisted by Mark Yeates and Nathan Pond.

The trio will take training for the first time at Poolfoot Farm on Monday morning ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to Harrogate Town.

Pete Wild said, per Gazette News: “It was a game of two halves.

“It’s easy to play when you’re 2-0 down, don’t get me wrong.

“Their first goal is a set piece and the kid [Kyreece Lisbie] is 5ft 8in and heading it in at the near post, so that’s really frustrating.

“It’s where we’re up to at the moment – we can’t get the lads to do the basics and defend the bases, which is highly frustrating.

“But all in all, not a lot happened in the first half.

“They had the second goal which was a killer on the counter.

“We’d talked all week about how dangerous they are on the counter and probably in the last ten minutes of the half, they could have been four or five up.

“So in the first half an hour, nothing’s happened and then we’ve had two mad moments and we finish the half looking like we’ve never spoken to each other before.

“So, you can’t play like that in a first half and expect to win a football match, I think that’s the first thing to say.

“At half-time, we went back to what we know.

“We tried something different – we tried the four and it didn’t work so we went back to what we know with a five and we looked stronger and more front footed and more aggressive.

“I thought we were really good in the second half.

“Ultimately, we could and should have got a point for as bad as we were for that 10 minutes, because we’ve had loads of opportunities to score.

“We had one kicked off the line.

“I was pleased with the second half and had more fight and more aggression than we’ve shown in a few weeks, which gives me hope.

“It was really frustrating in the end, because a game we should have been out of sight first half with, we should have got a point in the second.”

“We have 10 injured, five for the season.

“It’s tough for everyone at the moment.

“A lot of them are just not in that vein of form and Colchester are in the form we were in a month ago.

“They’re doing exactly what we were doing a month ago, finding a way to win and we’re in the opposite moment.

“Everybody just comes off the gas a little bit and everybody feels more tired when you’re losing, everybody doesn’t pass with the same confidence when you’re losing and that’s the moment we’re in.”

As mentioned, Fleetwood receive backlash from fans after making the decision to sack Pete Wild…

@SalisburyDan: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 what do you expect? Selling best players, poor crowds….. you are a league 2 club at the very best.

@SamJTurner86: Pardon me??

@JPraed19: Wild can’t be blamed for the amount of injuries we have and the lack of funds, doubt anyone else could do a much better job

@LowerLeagueLook: What a shitshow. Here lads come in here and manage us on shoestrings whilst we sell any player who’s worth a penny and give you none of that to reinvest. What do you mean that won’t work? SHITSHOW.

@LukePayneMusic: That’s… Wild! Feels like a rogue decision. The January window has hit them hard as have all the injuries. Results haven’t been great for Fleetwood but who would do better in those circumstances? It’s a damage limitation season for them imo

@thereubenfry: What a fucking stupid decision

@joelshooter47: Oh look, a good manager with strong NL/L2 experience based in the NW just became available 🙂 #shrimps

@Buntingfootball: Don’t really agree with that decision a good manager for that level and injuries have hit them really hard this campaign. Personally feel that’s a poor move on this occasion.

@knewshh: Spending more on paying managers off than signing players

@BAFCSAMUEL234: You’ll learn lads, you’ll learn

@Shulse14: Very very harsh with all the injuries.

@h2_r0r: Got to be the unluckiest manager in league 2 😂 bring him home

@oafc24: Surprised by this. Half their team is injured and the other half has been sold. Incoming Wild in tweets for next 6 months on the #oafc

@MatlockRichard: Surprised at this. Haven’t his best players been sold from under him?

@BenKnapmanEFL: Fleetwood aren’t what they once was, don’t have the money to do what they once did. Expectations come from what we was in the past, as a club we’re miles off that now. Key injuries and a sell of Ryan Graydon (we had to sell) have cost Pete here. Dont agree with this.

@MattPuraVida: Awful decision. Sold players, crippled with injuries. Was doing a steady job in the circumstances. The next appointment is crucial for the club. A bad choice could lead to relegation next season.