STUART THOM is the shock inclusion in Athletic's squad for the game at Wrexham tomorrow — but John Sheridan is again ruled out. Injuries and suspensions have taken a heavy toll on Athletic's plans, with four first-team regulars missing the trip to North Wales. Sheridan and Mark Allott are unfit, while Scott McNiven and Matthew Tipton are banned. That has led to the inclusion of Thom — who hasn't featured since breaking his collarbone in October — despite the defender playing only 45 minutes of reserve-team football.

In his starting line-up, manager Andy Ritchie will keep Richard Graham in midfield and replace McNiven with rookie centre-back Paul Jones. Jones has been a regular squad member since arriving from Leigh RMI but has only started one game in the league. Tipton's disciplinary problems mean a recall for Craig Dudley, who is only just returning from an injury lay-off himself. Paul Beavers — another player short of full fitness —is drafted in as cover for the strikers. Said Ritchie: "We are a bit thin on the ground for tomorrow, but it would be stupid to risk John Sheridan when he still isn't right.

"If we get Stuart Thom in, we will have plenty of cover for different positions. "Stuart isn't fit enough for the full game, but I think he would handle it okay if we needed him. "It's a big match for both sides. We need to keep Wrexham below us in the table and they need a win to get away from trouble at the bottom."

ATHLETIC: Kelly, Hotte, Garnett, Jones, Adams, Holt, Duxbury, Graham, Rickers, Dudley, Whitehall. Subs: Miskelly, Thom, Boshell, Sugden, Beavers. 

Wrexham's plans have also been thrown into turmoil as top scorer Neil Roberts is on the verge of a big-money transfer. The Welsh international is having talks with Wigan and is poised to move for £500,000. Even if Roberts doesn't complete the deal today, he is highly unlikely to face Athletic. Wrexham boss Brian Flynn, whose side are three places above the relegation zone, could call up Andy Morrell — a striker who made history on Wednesday by scoring seven times in a Welsh FA Cup tie.

WREXHAM (from): Dearden, Brace, McGregor, S Roberts, Carey, Ferguson, Barrett, Williams, Owen, Connolly, Morrell, Stevens, Faulconbridge, Spink, Gibson, Ridley, Chalk, Rogers.

ANDY MORRELL, who could be a threat to Athletic’s defence tomorrow, is in line for a £10,000 windfall for his goal-scoring exploits. The 25-year-old striker shattered Wrexham’s club record when he found the net seven times in Wednesday’s 8-0 trouncing of Merthyr Tydfil in the Football Association of Wales Premier Cup. Morrell’s feat must surely have catapulted the striker into the reckoning for a first-team place against Athletic at The Racecourse. It took Morrell’s tally to 12 in the competition, which carries a £10,000 reward for the top scorer. Former leisure centre employee Morrell was plucked from non-league obscurity when he joined Wrexham from Newcastle Blue Star.

Morrell, who has one league goal to show for his fleeting league appearances, has struggled to nail down a regular first-team spot. With Neil Roberts, Craig Faulconbridge, Ian Stevens and Karl Connolly ahead of him in the queue for starting spots, Morrell has been forced to accept a bit-part role. But it is an altogether different story in the Premier Cup, in which he has had a starring role. Morrell has shown he is adjusting to the demands of being a full-time professional. Wrexham are hardly the second division’s most prolific scorers, finding the net 30 times in as many league games. Faulconbridge (21), a free transfer summer signing from Coventry, tops the scoring charts with eight goals. Roberts has six goals and Ian Stevens four while Connolly, because of the surplus of strikers, is operating wide on the left.

The importance of tomorrow’s match is underlined by a look at the league table. Athletic are 15th and six points better-placed than Wrexham who are in 18th place and perilously close to the relegation places. A fifth away league win for Athletic would put further daylight between themselves and the clubs at the bottom. It is perfectly feasible for Athletic to emerge with three points as Wrexham have a wretched home record. They have won only four of their 14 home league matches. But should Athletic lose — they have been beaten in three of their last four league matches — they might find themselves looking anxiously at events below them.