Fleetwood v AFC Wimbledon preview
Friday 3 August 2018 15:37, UK
Joey Barton begins his managerial career in earnest on Saturday as Fleetwood take on AFC Wimbledon.
The former Newcastle and Manchester City midfielder has brought the national spotlight onto Highbury, but the signs are positive after seven victories from seven matches in pre-season. Barton has been busy in the transfer market and his major headache will be deciding which 11 players to field.
Among eight new signings hoping to feature will be experienced midfielder Dean Marney, who left Premier League Burnley at the end of last season, and on-loan Sheffield United striker Ched Evans.
Neal Ardley has made even bigger changes to his squad and it will be a new-look Wimbledon who take to the pitch. Defender Rod McDonald is the latest player to join the Dons after making the switch from Coventry and is one of three signings in two days after loan deals were completed for Tyler Garratt and Ben Purrington.
Another summer signing, striker James Hanson, feared he would miss the start of the season after suffering a groin strain but he has recovered in time. There have also been 12 departures, including the unfortunate Jon Meades, who has been forced to retire aged just 26 after persistent ankle problems.
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Fleetwood haven't lost a league games against AFC Wimbledon since August 2013 (0-2), drawing three and winning two of their last five meetings.
AFC Wimbledon have never claimed victory in four previous visits to the Highbury Stadium (D3 L1), failing to score a single goal in three of those encounters.
Since promotion to the Football League back in 2012, Fleetwood have never lost an opening day fixture (W3 D3) and will be starting the season at home for the sixth time in their seven seasons as a Football League club.
AFC Wimbledon have only won one of their seven matches on the opening day (D3 L3), and are winless in their three previous such games away from home (D2 L1).
Joey Barton will be the seventh different man to take charge of Fleetwood since their promotion in 2012, after Micky Mellon, Graham Alexander, Chris Lucketti, Steven Pressley, Uwe Rosler and John Sheridan.
