Dom pulls out
Innes dropped
Oxford previews

The group had hoped to buy J W Lees 48 per cent share holding and control of the club at the start of the season, before assessing the situation and investing in Oldham Athletic. But the five could not agree on a way forward. The statement read: "It has become apparent that the motivation of the majority of the investors are diametrically opposed to one of the key investors. "A concern was his views on the internal infasructure of the club, which he would want, with immediate effect want to dismantle.

 "Other consortium members, Mr Thompson and Mr Grudzien opposed this, believing that a period of assessment is essential before undertaking such drastic measures which could potentially have serious consequences. It added: "The rest of the consortium also fell that a sense of realism is required for the potential purchase of the football club, and it should never be viewed purely as a traditional business venture where the usual rules of profitability and return apply. Mr. Grudzien and Mr, Thompson who are joint managing partners of Nationwide print and packaging recruitment giants Harrison Scott associates, ruled out a four man takeover. "The remaining consortium members could consider going it alone. However as this would involve external funding or venture capital, this has been ruled out. "The consortium would also not consider at this late stage taking on board a fifth member who is not known to them.

The statement ended the two month bid by the group to buy the controlling interest in Athletic, leaving the way open for a second consortium, led by the son of comedian Bernard Manning, to agree a price with J W Lees.  Speaking to the Evening Chronicle earlier this week, Bernard Manning jnr said he had already had J W Lees.
 
 

MARK INNES could be facing the axe tomorrow as Athletic go to Oxford in search of their first league points of the season. The young midfielder is fighting for his place with Phil Salt, who impressed when given his chance in Tuesday's Worthington Cup game. lnnes looked like Athletic's brightest young star when he burst into the first team picture at the end of last season. He has yet to recapture his sparkle in the new campaign and may have to make way for a fellow 20 year-old whose hard work and passing have established him as an important member of the squad.

Salt was an unused substitute in the first four games, but played for 90 minutes in the 1-1 midweek draw with Stockport. While manager Andy Ritchie thought Salt could have done better, he has hinted in the past that lnnes still has to prove himself before becoming a fixture in the side. Ritchie isn't afraid to make changes after seeing his team lose their first three league games and rarely look like scoring. Teenager Ryan Sugden is left out of the squad despite starting against Stockport, while defenders Ian McLean and lain Swan are also out of contention. Lee Duxbury makes a welcome return after missing two games with a stomach bug and Paul Beavers, who scored for the reserves this week, is back in the reckoning.

Beavers will probably be on the bench, with Mark Allott restored to the starting line-up after grabbing Athletic's first goal of the season on Tuesday. Ritchie's final dilemma is whether to play four or five at the back. A sweeper system could well entail John Sheridan playing as the spare man between Scott McNiven and Shaun Garnett.

 ATHLETIC (from): Kelly, S McNiven, Holt, Garnett, Rickers, Sheridan, Duxbury, Adams, Innes, Salt, D McNiven, Allott, Beavers, Tipton, Tait, Miskelly.

Oxford, who have made a mediocre start after last season's relegation, are set to be unchanged from their 1-0 Worthington Cup win at home to Southend. They have problems in defence ,where Steve Davis is definiatley out and Phil Whelan is doubtful. Youth team coach Mickey Lewis as been re-registered as a player at the age of 35 and could be on the bench alongside former Athletic man Nicky Banger.

OXFORD (probable): Arendse, Folland, Powell, Robinson, Watson, Weatherstone, Tait, Murphy, Beauchamp, Anthrobus, Lilley. Subs: Lundin, McGowan, Banger, Cook, Lewis

MATCH PREVIEW

JUST like Athletic, Oxford United turned to one of their favourite sons when choosing the man they hoped would bring the good times back to their club. While Athletic went for former striker Andy Ritchie, Oxford handed the reins to a defender who had given them stalwart service in the days when the Manor Ground resounded to top flight football. The returning hero was Malcolm Shotton and when the two managers meet tomorrow they will be able to compare tales of hard work, hard times and working with clubs which are very hard up. There are startling similarities between Oxford and Athletic, both of whom now find themselves languishing in the relative anonymity of the second division. Both came from apparently nowhere to grab a place in the old first division, only to head back down after three seasons.

Both defied the odds to reach a Wembley final -Oxford winning the League Cup in 1986, Athletic finishing as runners-up four years later and both have since fallen from grace. while Athletic's financial problems are well documented in these pages, those of Shotton's club are even more dramatic. Ever since they were promoted to the old first division under the management of Jim Smith and chairmanship of the infamous Robert Maxwell - a man who also had sponsorship links at Boundary Park - there have been calls for Oxford to vacate their stadium. The Manor Ground never was the prettiest of venues - and Making a rather different impact, now-that's putting it mildly - but it was also unable to cope with the demands placed on it by increasing crowds. Fifteen years later, Oxford are still trying to escape to a new ground. Work did begin at one stage, only for the money to run out in early 1997 and the site left to become a weed-entangled monument to failed ambition. Happily plans to relaunch the programme and add an hotel and multiplex cinema have just been passed. The problems don't end there, however, for Oxford remain around £7million in debt, even though £6million was cleared when creditors agreed to accept lOp for every pound owed to them.

On the field, things didn't get much better for Shotton last season as his side finished three points short of first division safety. They were condemned by a run of only four wins after the end of November, while the en-forced sale of star striker Dean Windass to Bradford for £950,000 saw goals become a problem from March onwards. One of the men charged with filling the Windass boots was former Athletic player Nicky Banger. The 28-year-old forward moved south on a free transfer in May 1997, after a return of 10 goals in 64 league games following his £250,000 signing from Southampton. After hitting the net five times last term, Banger was told that he wouldn't be offered another deal.

But trials with several clubs proved unavailing and he is now back at Oxford playing on a week-to-week contract. Keeping him out of the side are new signings Steve Anthrobus, a free transfer from Crewe, and Derek Lilley who arrived from Leeds for a small fee. Lilley twice turned down loan deals with Athletic last season and, at 25, is now hoping to fulfill the promise which saw George Graham pay Greenock Morton £500,000 for his services. Another new face is goalkeeper Andre Arendse, a South African who is a regular international and has done well since joining from Fulham. He then damaged ankle ligaments in the reserves and has now joined giant striker Kevin Francis on the long-term injured list.

"Both Peter Fear and Phil Whelan made very good progress in training yesterday and were running freely," said physio John Clinkard. "But it may still be a risk to play Fear tomorrow."  With Paul Tait and five-goal Matt Murphy doing well in central midfield, there isn't the need to rush Fear back, though that situation could change the moment United collect any further injuries. The manner of the 1-0 win over Southend has given the team a big boost, and both Shotton and his assistant Mark Harrison acknowledge that, so long as United get their game right, they do not need to concentrate their minds on what Oldham can do.

"We have possibly paid too much attention to the opposition," Harrison admitted. "If we relax and play as we did the other night, most of the teams in our division won't be able to live with us." Oldham lost their first four games this season during which they failed to score. Had they been beaten by Stockport in midweek it would have been the worst start to a campaign in their history, but they salvaged a 1-1 draw with an 85th-minute equaliser. Manager Andy Ritchie's main problem has been finding someone to score goals. Last season seven different strikers mustered just 22 goals between them - the same number as the tally from his wingbacks and centre backs!. In the Worthington Cup, manager Andy Ritchie dropped veteran John Sheridan back to play as a sweeper and it was successful, so he may continue with a three-at-the-back system. Oldham are hoping club skipper Mike Duxbury returns to the midfield after missing two games with a stomach complaint.