AFC Fylde’s Nick Haughton committed his future to the Club earlier today – signing a contract extension that will keep him at Mill Farm Stadium until the summer of 2023.

Haughton, who has been at the club since October 2018, says he believes in the long-term vision that has been put in place by Jim Bentley.

He told afcfylde.co.uk: “I’m absolutely delighted to finally get it all sorted. It’s something that has been in the pipeline for a while now, with lots of discussions behind-the-scenes. It’s been a little more difficult with everything that’s going on at the moment, but I‘m made up to be offered the chance to stay here and, hopefully, I can help the Club achieve something special.

“I feel as though I’m at a Club that is going places and that’s something that I want to be a part of. My first year at Fylde was brilliant, getting to the Playoff final and going on to win the FA Trophy. Last year was, of course, a huge disappointment with the relegation but I feel as though with the spirit we have inside the Football Club at the moment, we have the ability to push up the leagues.

“The manager has had a huge influence on the decision. He’s a great man manager – the way in which he deals with players on and off the pitch. Nick Chadwick has been brilliant with me too since he joined at the start of the season.”

The creative midfielder’s performances have caught the eye of many this campaign and The Coasters have been proactive in tying the 26-year old down. Six goals in his opening 13 appearances helped AFC Fylde rise to the top end of the National League North table before the League enforced a two-week suspension, and Haughton said that the Club’s continuous drive to progress through the leagues is what makes signing a contract extension such an easy decision.

He added: “From the day I joined, every season promotion has been the target. It’s a Club that has great ambition, backed by a chairman who is desperate to see AFC Fylde in the Football League. That is an ambition that I also share, along with the rest of the players and staff.

“It’s good to be in an environment like this, where the standards and expectations are really high. I feel as though I thrive in that sort of environment if I’m honest.

“I’m just glad that I know where I am going to be for the next couple of years and I can now concentrate on my football.”