17th April 2000   

Kelly to be rested?

ATHLETIC suffered another injury blow today when Craig Dudley was ruled out their plans for the visit of relegation-haunted Chesterfield. The striker was expected to make his comeback from a hamstring strain picked up at Scunthorpe, but Athletic’s optimism has proved misplaced. Manager Andy Ritchie said: “Craig is progressing, but only slowly. There’s nothing we can do except wait. “We do have a few problems at the moment and it looks as though everyone who’s fit will be in the squad for tomorrow night.” Dudley’s absence is a relief for basement club Chesterfield, who took him on loan in August when he couldn’t get a game with Athletic. But it means Ritchie still has limited options up front, despite the return of Ryan Sugden. 

Sugden was a late withdrawal from last week’s victory over Wigan after being struck by illness on the day of the match. Matthew Tipton and Steve Whitehall were the only fit strikers, and they could prove hard to dislodge tomorrow after playing their part in a fine result. Athletic will also be without defender Shaun Garnett, who has been suffering from a knee problem. Their worst fears were allayed, however, when a scan revealed no serious damage. Garnett could be back in training within a few days, while Richard Graham has been pencilled in to play for the reserves this week after recovering from a hamstring injury. 

Athletic’s cause has been helped by their free weekend, caused by Stoke’s involvement in the Auto Windscreens Shield final. The Potteries side, who beat Athletic in the second round of the competition, went on to win 2-1 at Wembley yesterday against Bristol City. Chesterfield are in desperate need of all three points at Boundary Park after being cast adrift at the foot of the second division. They drew 1-1 at Bury on Saturday, but have still taken only eight points from a possible 60 on their travels. 

AN eleventh-hour attempt to get tomorrow’s Town Green hearing for Clayton Playing Fields postponed has been turned down by council solicitors. 

Ms Fatema Patwa, the lawyer for three Royton people behind the Town Green bid, calls for more time in a letter to Oldham Council’s solicitors. 

She has already asked for postponement to give them more time to collect evidence, and has called for the hearing to be an independent inquiry, rather than by councillors. In her latest plea she alleges: “You have not given a good reason for refusing a postponement and, in the absence of a good reason, it does appear that you wish the application to be considered by the present administration of the council, which you know has also objected to the registration of the village green and which may change after local elections next month.” 

The three applicants, Mr Simon Hewitt, Mrs Alma Haslam and her daughter Mrs Beverley Mcyna, have submitted evidence about how local people use the land for recreation. 

But the council has asked them to define the “locality”, and she says they want more time to get evidence to show why a community exists around the playing fields. Ms Patwa is also concerned because Mrs Macyna’s son, and Mrs Haslam’s grandchild, is seriously ill in hospital, which has made it hard for them to meet council deadlines. 

However, Mr Graham Smith, the borough solicitor, says that while the council sympathises with Mrs Haslam’s family, the meeting has been arranged for several weeks, and the family’s situation is not new. 

He added: “The forthcoming elections are irrelevant as far as this application is concerned. “Government regulations state that the council must determine all such applications as soon as possible. 

Oldham has been criticised by the Ombudsman in the past for not doing so and this application was submitted late last year.”