Fleetwood Town Appoints Pete Wild as Head Coach

Fleetwood Town has announced the appointment of Pete Wild, previously manager of Oldham Athletic, Halifax Town, and Barrow, as their new head coach. Wild departed Barrow following the conclusion of the 2023-24 League Two season. The 40-year-old has finalized an agreement of unspecified duration with the League Two team, succeeding Charlie Adam, who departed the club over the weekend. Wild is scheduled to commence his role on 27 December. In the interim, current first-team coach Matt Lawlor will oversee the team for the Boxing Day fixture against Chesterfield. Wild conveyed his enthusiasm to the club website, stating, “I am really excited to have the opportunity to manage such a progressive football club.” He further added, “Although discussions have moved quickly, both myself and [assistant boss] Adam [Temple] feel like there is a clear direction from everyone at the football club and we really feel we can support that journey.” Wild concluded, “We can’t wait to meet everyone and get fans, staff and players moving in a forward direction.” Fleetwood dismissed Adam from his position after nearly a year, a decision made after the team secured only one victory in 11 league matches. The Cod Army suffered a 2-0 defeat against Barrow on Saturday, marking their fifth loss in a sequence that also featured five draws. Additionally, they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Reading during the first-round stage. Adam, a former Liverpool midfielder, assumed the managerial role on New Year’s Eve 2023, succeeding Lee Johnson. This appointment marked his inaugural position as a manager. The 39-year-old was unable to prevent the Lancashire-based club from being relegated to League Two at the conclusion of the previous season. The team currently occupies 18th place in the table, maintaining an eight-point lead over the relegation zone. This role represents Wild’s initial managerial appointment since his departure from Barrow in the summer, following a season where his former club narrowly missed qualifying for the League Two play-offs. Fleetwood owner Jamie Pilley commented, “At this point we felt it was important to bring in someone who has extensive knowledge of the division we find ourselves in – and Pete was the standout candidate.”