Anthony Pilkington leaves SC East Bengal, joins Fleetwood Town in England

The striker was one of the few bright sparks for the Red & Gold Brigade in the 2020-21 season.

Anthony Pilkington has left Indian Super League outfit SC East Bengal after spending the 2020-21 season with the club. The striker has signed for EFL League One side Fleetwood Town in England in a one-year contract, the club has announced.

The 33-year-old has previously played for several English clubs like Wigan Athletic and Norwich City. He joined SC East Bengal ahead of the seventh edition of the ISL, in what was the first season for the club in the league. The move comes as yet another setback for the Red & Gold Brigade, who are going through an uncertain time, as shadows loom over their participation in next season of the ISL.

[KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Another blow for SC East Bengal

Anthony Pilkington’s departure comes after the club also lost Bright Enobakhare to Coventry City on a free transfer. Furthermore, players like Matti Steinman and Jacques Maghoma have also left the club in search of greener pastures.

The uncertainty regarding their future and losing key players are heavy blows for the club. The club officials are yet to resolve the ongoing issue of finalising agreement with investors Shree Cement. Failure in doing so could lead to their omission from the upcoming season of the ISL.

Anthony Pilkington’s debut season

The Manchester United academy graduate had a bittersweet campaign in the 2020-21 season. He played 17 games, scoring three goals and as many assists. Pilkington clocked in 1372 minutes on the pitch, often playing on the right wing and as a target man. He could not score a lot of goals despite making 53 shooting attempts on the target. 

Pilkington often cut a frustrated figure as it was his first season in India and the climate conditions of the sub-continent did not help either. In addition to that, the East Bengal squad did not have enough experience or quality to provide support to the Irishman.

[KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News |Article Continues Below"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS]

Fleetwood Town’s gain

Anthony Pilkington will be a good signing for the EFL League One side. He brings a lot of experience of playing in English football. He has over 114 appearances in League 1, scoring 24 goals and registering 14 assists.

Fleetwood Town, under the leadership of manager Simon Grayson, would look to challenge for promotion to the EFL Championship next term. Signing a striker like Anthony Pilkington could prove to be great business for the club in the upcoming season.

For more football updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and join our community on Telegram.