21st January 2000 

Clarets previews

IF Athletic's New Year resolution was to win every league game they played, they are doing an excellent job of sticking to it. They have an unblemished record since the dawn of the new century, with Bournemouth, Wigan and Brentford all being vanquished. Other than in the Auto Windscreens Shield, Athletic have also gone almost seven hours without conceding a goal. They are 12th in the table and, outside of the top five, must be the team everyone in the second division would most want to avoid. 

That record goes back on the line at Burnley tomorrow in a North-West derby with potential for fireworks. While Athletic have lost only one out of nine away from home, Burnley have made Turf Moor a footballing fortress by taking 30 points from a possible 36. The Clarets are sixth and, with a 1-0 victory at Boundary Park in August, helped to inflict Athletic's worst-ever start to a season. 

But recent displays have been below their usual standards and Athletic believe they can add another name to their lengthening list of scalps. Manager Andy Ritchie is expected to stick with the same line-up for a fifth consecutive league match. Mark Hotte gets the go-ahead despite suffering a wrist injury last week, while Shaun Garnett, Lee Duxbury and Paul Rickers are all set to play on with slight knocks. With Craig Dudley recovering from a bruised foot, the one change could be on the bench. Paul Beavers would be the one to make way if Dudley, who was injured ten days ago, is able to make a quick recovery. 

ATHLETIC (probable): Kelly, S McNiven, Garnett, Hotte, Adams, Holt, Rickers, Duxbury, Sheridan, Allott, Whitehall. Subs (from): Miskelly, Jones, Innes, Tipton, Beavers, Dudley. Disciplinary problems have left Stan Ternent's Burnley without both Glenn Little and Tom Cowan.

But back from suspension are key midfielder Micky Mellon and centre-half Steve Davis, their club-record signing at £800,000. John Mullin has recovered from 'flu and could replace Paul Weller in midfield. 

BURNLEY (from): Crichton, West, Armstrong, Thomas, Davis, Weller, Cook, Mellon, Johnrose, Payton, Cooke, Mullin, Jepson, Brass, Branch, Mullin, P Smith, Swan. 

The match is pay on the day for away fans, with seats behind the goal costing £13 for adults and £6.50 for juniors and OAPs. 

Goal-hungry Mark has 20-20 vision

MARK ALLOTT is aiming to become Athletic’s first 20-goal striker since Andy Ritchie reached the landmark a decade ago. After his double blast against Brentford last weekend, the 21-year-old is in just the kind of form which will have Burnley on alert as they prepare for tomorrow’s Lancashire derby at Turf Moor. Allott now has 11 for the season — a total three better than for the whole of last term — and can set his sights higher with every goal. He looks sure to become Athletic’s highest scorer for five years and, provided he can stay fit and in form, must have a chance of emulating his manager’s achievement. “My target for this season was to beat last year’s total,” Allott revealed. “I scored eight, but none of them came after January and I needed to put that right. “It’s nice to have 11 at this stage and I would love to keep scoring right through to the end of the season. “I haven’t got any particular aims, just to take as many chances as come my way.”

As with all players in his position, Allott reaps the benefits of a team in form. Athletic are creating more chances than at any time in his career and, with the ammunition increased, he is relishing his chance to fire a few bullets. His desire for goals was illustrated when Athletic were awarded a penalty in the 3-0 victory over Brentford. They had missed their only other spot-kick of the season and there was never much doubt who would take over the nerve-wracking job from Neil Adams. Allott had won the kick himself, only for Brentford goalkeeper Andy Woodman to accuse him of diving when the red card was immediately flashed. Allott recalled: “The goalie caught me as I tried to go past him — there was no doubt he touched me. “I thought a booking might have been enough, but you do see people sent off for less than that. “He was ranting and raving a bit, so I just told him to go away. And, as soon as I knew it was a penalty, I picked the ball up and wouldn’t let go. “It wasn’t a pre-planned thing and Neil Adams did ask me if I was sure about taking it. “I was pretty confident and, because you usually see sub goalkeepers diving one way or the other, I just smashed it down the middle.” 

It was the first time this season that an Athletic player had scored twice in one game. The previous occasion came on Boxing Day, 1998, when Allott also bagged a brace at Chesterfield. If he does reach the 20-goal milestone, he will be the first to do so since Ritchie slammed 28 — an amazing 13 of them in cup games — during the Wembley season of 1989/90. Top scorers since then have been Ian Marshall (18), Graeme Sharp (15), Ian Olney (13), Sharp (11), Sean McCarthy (18), Lee Richardson (11), Stuart Barlow (12), Barlow (13) and Allott (eight). Allott’s haul may be very useful, but it doesn’t match that of Burnley’s top marksman, Andy Payton.

The 32-year-old — who has an uncanny knack of scoring against Athletic — has kept up his exceptional career record by rattling in another 14. Payton remains the driving force of The Clarets’ attack and his steady goal supply has kept them in the top six all season. They were top of the table for a short time in September, but a post-Christmas stutter has seen them slip nine points adrift of the automatic promotion places. Away form has been their downfall as, despite winning at Premiership Derby in the FA Cup, they have managed only two other victories, one of them at Athletic in August. Of more immediate concern, however, is their record at Turf Moor — and that is one of the best in the country. Stan Ternent’s side have won 10 and drawn one of their 12 home games, scoring 25 goals and conceding only nine. With Payton and Andy Cooke up front, plus the experienced pair of Steve Davis and Mitchell Thomas in defence, they present a daunting challenge for any visitor. But that was also the case in Athletic’s last away match, when they tore up the script to see off leaders Wigan. They have a habit of raising their game against promotion-chasing sides and, with the respective records of the two clubs, no outcome can be ruled out with safety.

STAN Ternent is backing Andy Cooke to get back on the goal trail and bring an end to the latest round of transfer speculation at Turf Moor. The Clarets have been linked with a number of strikers in recent weeks as Ternent has tried to maintain his squad strength in the absence of the injured Alan Lee. Bristol City striker Steve Jones is the latest player to have reportedly attracted the interest of Burnley. But he was today set to join Brentford on a month's loan with a view to a £475,000 deal. And Ternent is furious that transfer talk may have an unsettling effect on the players he has at Turf Moor. "I am happy with what I've got regardless of what others say," he insisted. "I am backing the players to do what I want them to. How do you think Andy Cooke feels? I'm backing him to deliver the goods with the help of the fans." Cooke has endured a lean spell recently but he and Andy Payton have still shared over 20 goals between them this season. And with Cooke being the kind of striker whose goals tend to come in bursts, finding the net against Oldham Athletic at Turf Moor tomorrow may be the catalyst for another purple patch at a critical time for the Clarets. Ternent wouldn't comment on the latest transfer story emanating from the South-West, where it was reported that Burnley, Brentford and Reading were all interested in signing Jones on loan.The former West Ham, Charlton and Bournemouth striker cost City £500,000 in September but he hasn't hit it off at Ashton Gate and the chance to return to London, where his family and pregnant wife have remained since his move to Bristol, was expected to see him join Brentford today. The Bees, who have also agreed a £500,000 fee with Arsenal for midfielder Tommy Black, are recruiting Jones with a view to a near half-million-pound move. And even if he wanted to, Ternent simply hasn't got that kind of money to spend. Even meeting players' wage demands is a problem with the transfer coffers currently empty at Turf Moor, which has added to Ternent's frustration where transfer speculation is concerned. But Ternent is undeterred about continuing the Clarets' promotion push with his current squad, which will be without the suspended Glen Little and Tom Cowan against improving Oldham, who are the form side of the division. However, Steve Davis, Micky Mellon and John Mullin are all expected to return as the Clarets look for their 11th win in 13 home games to cement their place in the top-six with games in hand over all but one of the sides above them. Burnley from: Crichton, West, Armstrong, Mellon, Davis, Thomas, Weller, Cook, Cooke, Payton, Mullin, Smith, Johnrose, Branch, Jepson, Swan, Brass, Robertson.

Analysis: Cook v Sheridan

THERE aren't many people who out-pass Paul Cook.

But John Sheridan currently comes into that category, which gives some indication of his influence on a resurgent Oldham side that has climbed into mid-table after a disastrous start. The former Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday schemer has made the most of the chance to prolong his Football League career after he kicked-off last season with Doncaster Rovers. His former Elland Road team-mate Andy Ritchie plucked him from the Conference and after a short trial spell awarded him a contract which runs to the end of the current campaign. At 35, Sheridan's qualities show no sign of dimming. Player-of-the-Year last season, the former Republic of Ireland international has continued to fill the role of play-maker and midfield architect. Having played slightly more than Cook this term, he has racked up more passes than the Burnley man. His completion rate of 77 per cent is hugely impressive, while he has a near perfect record when attempting to dribble or run with the ball. Sheridan has scored just once but makes Oldham tick and, like Cook, is their dead-ball expert. If the Clarets can stop him playing tomorrow, then they may go some way to ending the Latics' Second Division winning streak. 

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 Contributions and letters should be sent to Gary Davies by e-mail at [email protected]The views expressed on this e-zine are not the views of Oldham Athletic F.C. nor necessarily the views of the EditorThe editor will not publish any letters containing bad languageThis e-zine is written using Microsoft Outlook Express

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