Andy Pilley (l) with manager Micky Mellon

Fleetwood chairman Andy Pilley says the newly-promoted Blue Square Bet Premier club are well prepared for the challenge that faces them next season.

The club, which re-formed in 1997, are in the top flight of non-league football for the first time in their history after winning promotion in May.

"A lot of people wrongly think the end of the season means you can relax," Pilley told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"But we're making the changeover to full-time so face massive challenges."

He added: "We've had to make contact with all the players and do our best to re-contract the ones we want to keep."

Fleetwood were initially established in 1908, but have since re-formed twice, including in their current guise.

What we do need to do is ensure that we are run as a professional football club Fleetwood chairman Andy Pilley

The Lancashire club have progressed from the second division of the North West Counties League - now Vodkat League - in 1999 to the Blue Square Bet Premier after beating Alfreton in the Blue Square North play-offs.

And with manager Micky Mellon piecing together his on-field strategy, Pilley says work is also continuing off the pitch, including the redevelopment of the new £4m 2,000-seater grandstand.

"The ground will actually be ok," he said. "We've worked closely with the league so are confident things will be right. However, we are still endeavouring to improve the ground and the diggers are currently finishing the demolition of the stand.

"It'll be a stand that'll make the stadium fit for the Football League. Planning for the future is always essential and thankfully, because of the investment and work we've done over the last few years, groundwise we're absolutely fine for Conference National.

"What we do need to do is ensure that we are run as a professional football club, so we've had to make different training arrangements and work on how we feed the players, but everything will be ready."

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