23rd November 1999 

Bristol City previews

RICHARD GRAHAM is a major doubt for Athletic's match at Bristol City tonight after suffering a recurrence of his back problem. The influential defender seized up again after Saturday's victory over Swansea and is not moving freely. Graham has already missed one match with the injury, which Athletic are planning to have checked out with X-rays. 

The team's upturn in fortunes has coincided with Graham's return from knee surgery, so manager Andy Ritchie is keen for him to pull through. With wing-back Neil Adams again forced out by a hamstring strain, the injury alert in defence has brought a first call-up for Paul Jones. Jones (21) signed from Unibond League club Leigh RMI last week but was cup-tied on Saturday. He is now drafted in at the first opportunity and it would not be a major shock to see him handed a debut. Athletic do have options for replacing Adams, but each one has its drawbacks. 

Paul Rickers would be a loss in midfield, Scott McNiven is playing well in the centre of defence and Ritchie would like to deploy Craig Dudley up front, where his speed is especially useful away from home. Jones, meanwhile, played at right-back for the reserves last week and did a tidy enough job. Mark Hotte and Ben Futcher are other defenders who will come into contention, while young midfielder Danny Walsh can again expect a place on the bench. 

ATHLETIC (from): Kelly, S McNiven, Holt, Graham, Garnett, Hotte, Futcher, Jones, Rickers, Sheridan, Duxbury, Allott, Dudley, Whitehall, Tipton, Walsh, Innes, Miskelly. 

Bristol City, with only three league wins all season, had an excellent 2-0 FA Cup victory at Bournemouth on Saturday, earning themselves a third-round tie at Sheffield Wednesday. They were hoping to bolster their forward line by signing Everton's Michael Branch on loan this week, but the striker is now on the brink of signing for Wolves. City's only injury doubt concerns Moldova captain Ivan Tistimetanu, who plays in midfield, while full-back Gerard Lavin could come back into contention. 

BRISTOL CITY (from): Mercer, Bell, Millen, Taylor, Mortimer, Tinnion, Tistimetanu, Murray, Holland, Jones, Beadle, Hutchings, Torpey, Goodridge, Brown, Lavin, Phillips.

ATHLETIC'S progress into the third round of the FA Cup has led to the postponement of the December 11 home match with leaders Wigan. No new date has yet been arranged. 

KELLY GOES TO HELL AND BACK

GARY KELLY’S part in the Euro 2000 play-offs involved a death-defying journey, dirty tricks, a mass brawl and, ultimately, heartbreak for his adopted country. Yet the Athletic goalkeeper still says Ireland’s trip to Turkey was “a fantastic experience”. After a late call-up to replace his injured brother, Blackburn ’keeper Alan, Kelly was on the bench as the Republic drew 0-0 in Bursa. Agonisingly, that meant they failed, on away goals, to qualify for next year’s championships in Holland and Belgium. The result, however, wasn’t the only thing which will stay with Kelly forever. The events before, during and after the crucial tie were just as memorable — albeit in a tumultuous kind of way. Kelly said: “After the Colchester game on the Sunday, I flew straight off from Manchester airport to Heathrow. “The flight to Turkey was at six o’clock on Monday morning and, when we arrived, we had the boat trip from hell. “This thing was going at a hundred miles an hour in choppy seas. A few of the lads were being sick because it was like being on the big dipper. “A taxi ride came after that, so altogether it took us 12 hours to get there. “I think they were trying to tire us out a bit and do their best to upset the lads. “The practice pitch wasn’t much good either, but the atmosphere on the night was fantastic.

“Apart from a few Irish guys, the ground was full of flag-waving Turks who were being wound up by the announcer. “There was a bit of a punch-up at the end when someone hit Tony Cascarino. “The riot police came on and, all of a sudden, all and sundry were on the pitch and it was hard to tell who was who. “It would be nice if the players could just shake hands and walk off — it was a bit distasteful, really. “Then there were some more fans outside the ground jeering and making gestures. “That didn’t bother us, though. We were in a place famed for its hellish welcomes, but they behaved well overall and we were well looked after.” The Cascarino incident sparked an official complaint from the Irish FA, while manager Mick McCarthy said: “We expect a battle from the teams we play, but we don’t expect to have to fight to get off the pitch as well.” It also rubbed salt in Ireland’s wounds. A late Turkish equaliser had seen the first leg end 1-1 and, in the earlier group stages, McCarthy’s men had been within 12 SECONDS of automatic qualification. Said Kelly: “In the first half, Turkey didn’t look like the side they had in Dublin. “We really fancied our chances, but they should probably have won in the end. “We were devastated afterwards. With a bit more luck we could have topped our group by three or four points.” And, despite yet another close call, Kelly has yet to win a cap at full international level.

The English-born 33-year-old has played for the under-21, under-23 and ‘B’ teams, but he has never got further than the bench for the senior side. He admitted: “I would love to complete the collection and, yes, it is a bit frustrating. “I’ve been in the squad 10 or 15 times since the first call-up in 1986. When that happens, 13 years is a long time to go without a cap. “I used to get a bit upset about it, but now I just think if it happens, it happens. “I felt sorry for my brother when he had to pull out, but one man’s misfortune is another’s good luck.” Kelly is put on stand-by for almost all of Ireland’s games, proving that lower division doesn’t have to mean lower profile. With reserve ’keeper David Miskelly a regular for Northern Ireland under-21s, Athletic have an international double which few clubs outside the Premiership can match.

ATHLETIC are waiting to hear whether they are through to the last 16 of the Youth Alliance Cup after being held to a draw by closest rivals Bury. The result meant Bury topped the group on goal difference and took the only automatic qualification spot on the trail to Wembley. Athletic are now hoping they earned one of the places saved for the best runners-up. They won two and drew two of their group games but have paid the price for missing chances along the way. Athletic took the lead in their latest match when Ryan Sugden finished off a short corner at the midway point of the first half. Bury played well after the break, but Athletic weathered the storm and should have gone further ahead through Sugden, Danny Boshell or Nathan Wharton.The Shakers equalised with 10 minutes left and there was still time for Athletic to hit the post through Gareth Gardiner’s last-gasp header.

Talking of goals, Tinnion goes into tonight’s clash as an unlikely top scorer. His total of five – four of them in the last seven games – is two ahead of Scott Murray.  between them, the pair can lay claim to seven of the last eight strikes City have scored. “It’s nice to be top scorer, of course, but so long as someone pops up with them, I won’t mind in the slightest,” said Tinnion. “Supplying goals gives me as much pleasure as scoring them.” The 31-year-old Geordie is in a good position to judge City’s prospects, given he’s seen the club’s highs and lows over the best part of the last decade. And he believes the squad’s confidence is now better than at any point in what has been a taxing season so far. “The draw at Stoke after a good performance and win on Saturday is bound to make people feel better and that’s so important in football,” he claimed. “Confidence has such a big bearing on things and the players’ are feeling a little better about themselves after recent achievements.”

Their latest has handed them a third round Cup visit to Sheffield Wednesday and their imposing Hillsborough ground, a venue Tinnion classes as one of the best in the country. “Of course, everyone’s playing for a place in that game,” he said.  “It’s been the talk amongst the lads since the draw was made. It promises to be a great occasion for the club and the fans. “I don’t agree that the Cup should necessarily be a distraction for us. If our concentration is right, it can help act as a spur in our League games. “It’s important we get as many points as possible in between now and that third round tie.  “We’ve got some good games in that time and to go to Sheffield Wednesday in a much healthier position would be a major boost for everyone.” 

Branch deal collapses through

Tony Pulis’ hopes of signing Everton striker Michael Branch were in tatters today – after the 21-year-old opted to join Wolves. Bristol City’s boss had been planning to include the marksman in his squad for tonight’s game against Oldham at Ashton Gate. But his bid to secure the youngster on an initial month-long loan deal as a prelude to a £500,000 move collapsed last night when Branch decided to head to Molineux to relaunch his injury-hit career. “I am desperately disappointed,” said Pulis. “I have worked for the last six weeks to try and get him. “He’s the third player we have lost to Wolves now after Ade Akinbiyi and Michael Oakes, which is very worrying. “Now there are some internal matters at our club which need to be sorted out.”

City chairman Scott Davidson had insisted that players needed to leave Ashton Gate before any further signings could be made, and the background situation is thought to have been an influence on Branch’s decision to head for the Midlands. He travelled to Bournemouth with City’s squad for their weekend FA Cup win and trained alongside the players yesterday before his late change of heart. Pulis had planned to start Branch on the bench for tonight’s clash with the Latics, but now looks likely to stick with the team that delivered the goods at Dean Court. That would mean continuing with the five-man defence he first opted for at Stoke City 10 days ago with the introduction of new signing Keith Millen. “We’ve looked stronger defensively in the last couple of games and I’m thinking of going with it again,” the manager confirmed. “There are benefits to the system of using wing backs which can be very attacking, so I have no particular worries about using it at home as well as when we play away.” Paul Holland has formed part of the trio of central defenders, alongside Millen and Shaun Taylor, who returned as skipper on Saturday after a one-match ban. It is a role Holland he filled regularly at his former club Chesterfield and Pulis has been happy with his switch from an original midfield role. Scott Murray, two-goal hero of Saturday’s win, is expected to continue on the right as Gerard Lavin is unlikely to have recovered from his foot injury as anticipated.

Ivan Tistimetanu boosted his hopes of playing tonight by training yesterday despite suffering a kick at Bournemouth. City are waiting for confirmation from the FA about the date of their FA Cup third round game at Sheffield Wednesday. A decision on which of the two Sheffield clubs should switch to a Sunday kick-off has now been referred to Lancaster gate. Blackburn skipper Lee Carsley is confident Rovers can still clinch automatic promotion this season — despite currently standing 20 points adrift of Division One leaders Manchester City. Rovers' 2-0 win over Fulham at the weekend prevented them slipping into the bottom four, but ex-Derby midfielder Carsley insists: “I still think we have a chance.”

City chairman Scott Davidson has already warned that players need to be shifted from the wage bill before a new signing can be made and yesterday things looked to be progressing with interest in Tony Thorpe, Steve Torpey and Mark Shail alive. And assistant boss Lindsay Parsons admitted he expected one or two players to have left by the end of the week, with loan deals the most likely scenario for now. As for Branch, Pulis said: “We’re hoping to get it done before the game and if it goes through then I’ll be delighted. “He’ll be a terrific asset to us over the next month. He has good pace and his touch is very good too. I just hope he’ll come and settle in quickly and show the form he showed as a young player. And, of course, the great thing is he’s still young with real ability and potential. “But it all depends on whether we can get the signing completed and you can never take anything for granted in football.”Branch would cost City around £500,000 if he joined them permanently. Pulis is also sweating on the availability of several key players for tonight’s game, one City desperately want to win to gain the momentum required to start climbing the table. But there were encouraging signs on the training ground with Ivan Tistimetanu, subject of a fierce challenge from Bournemouth’s Karl Broadhurst which left him with a gashed knee, able to join in. Full-back Gerard Lavin is still unavailable due to damaged ankle ligaments but Parsons said he was hopeful Titstimetanu and the others would be alright. “It was pleasing to see Ivan training because the lad (Broadhurst) caught him full above the knee,” he said. “If it had been any lower he could have broken his leg.” Midfield team-mate Paul Mortimer battled through Saturday’s FA Cup win at Bournemouth despite feeling low with flu, as did Paul Holland with his shoulder injury. City have gone nine league games without a win, a record midfieldman Brian Tinnion feels is badly in need of addressing. “It’s been a long time since we’ve won a league game but it was a good result against Bournemouth and we played well at Stoke too,” said Tinnion.“We really need to take that into the Oldham game now because everyone at the club expects much better.”