7th March 2000     

Match OFF

Oldham Evening Chronicle 

ATHLETIC are boosted by the return of skipper Lee Duxbury tonight as they take on basement club Chesterfield at Boundary Park. Duxbury missed out through suspension at Bury on Saturday but is back to add weight to midfield as Athletic try to rediscover their home form. Defender Mark Hotte is also available after a one-game ban, so another reshuffle could well be on the cards. Manager Andy Ritchie has a host of options open to him, but he kept Chesterfield guessing today by throwing a veil of secrecy over his plans . "We'll pick from the same 16 as Saturday, plus Duxbury and Hotte," Ritchie said briefly. "They might play, they might not. We'll have to wait and see." Duxbury looks sure to come into the side, probably at the expense of Mark Innes, although there is a chance Paul Rickers will be switched from midfield to wing-back. Scott McNiven had a day to forget when he played out wide on Saturday. But Hotte's return, plus the steady displays of Richard Graham and Paul Jones at Bury, makes competition fierce in the centre of defence.

One thing for certain is that Athletic must cut out the mistakes which have seen them slump to two successive home defeats. They may have lost 3-1 to Gillingham and 4-1 to Bristol Rovers, but tonight's game leaves them on a hiding to nothing. Chesterfield are bottom of the second division and have scored the fewest goals of the 92 Premiership and Football League clubs. While an Athletic win is almost expected, a draw or defeat would be seen as a very poor result. Chesterfield's side includes former Athletic full-back Neil Pointon.

ATHLETIC (from): Kelly, Jones, Garnett, Graham, S McNiven, Holt, Sheridan, Innes, Rickers, Dudley, Whitehall, Sugden, Boshell, Thom, Beavers, Miskelly, Duxbury, Hotte.

CHESTERFIELD (from): Gayle, Hewitt, Pointon, Blatherwick, Breckin, Curtis, Beaumont, Carss, Perkins, Reeves, Williams, Payne, Howard, Lomas, Galloway, Vaughan.

THE mystery of why so much injury time was played at Bury has now been solved _Athletic's own fans were to blame. Athletic were furious that Bury scored their second goal after 94 minutes of Saturday's match when referee Michael Ryan said only three minutes of stoppage time would be needed. But Mr Ryan has revealed he played on for longer because, after the 90 minutes were already up, the ball went into the away end. Athletic's fans were celebrating their imminent win and it failed to come back for several seconds. The ball was thrown around, the watch was stopped . . . and Bury equalised in the time that was added. 

EX-ATHLETIC star Paul Reid was disappointed by the hostile reception he was given at Gigg Lane on Saturday. Reid, who was man of the match as Bury earned a late draw, hadn’t expected Athletic’s fans to give him such a rough ride. He said: “I got a lot of stick and I don’t think I deserved it. “It’s special to play against your former club and it’s always nice to score. “I enjoyed the game and it was good to get a point in the end. “We were disappointed not to win because we were the home side, but if we had lost we would have been heading towards the relegation zone.” The final score of 2-2 was Athletic’s first draw of 2000. In their nine other league matches since the turn of the year, they had won five and lost four.

WELL done to Junior Latics officials, whose hard work has earned the club high ranking in a new survey. With many fans facing rising prices, Internet website zoofootball.com investigated whether the next generation were getting a fair deal. Every Premiership and Football League club was approached by someone posing as the father of football-mad children. And, of the 92 canvassed, Athletic were said to have the 13th best junior supporters club in the country. Ratings were based on three main criteria — customer service, value for money and promptness of delivery. Junior Latics, which is run on a voluntary basis, was given five stars in each department. For details of joining the club, ring 624 4972. Top of the survey came Southampton, but second-placed Wycombe Wanderers look to have the best offer of all — members of the Wycombe Racers are given a season ticket for their £12.50 fee.

JOHN RYAN — the England under-21 international who was one of Athletic’s best full-backs of the 1980s — will be guest of honour at tonight’s game with Chesterfield. Ryan made 100 league appearances for the club in two spells, the first of which was ended when Newcastle bought him for £235,000 in 1983. 

PAUL BERNARD’S career is flourishing north of the border, four and a half years since his £800,000 move from Athletic to Aberdeen. The midfield man, who won two Scotland caps while at Boundary Park, has just been named Bells Scottish Player Of The Month. 

THE reserves’ Manchester Senior Cup tie at home to Manchester City, which has been postponed twice, is set to go ahead on Thursday (7pm kick-off).

Tickets bought from the Supporters’ Association, which entitle the holder to supper and use of the sponsors’ lounge, are still valid.

TRANSFER-LISTED Mark Innes still can’t come to terms with Athletic’s decision to sell him off. “It was a massive shock,” admitted the young Scot, who in a few short months has fallen from bright young star to Athletic outcast. Innes was earmarked for great things at the end of last season when he made a huge impact in the successful battle against relegation. Yet he was put up for sale last week as Athletic, who claimed he needed a move to boost his career, continued to clear their decks. Along with Paul Beavers and Matthew Tipton, 21-year-old Innes was sacrificed to cut the wage bill and make way for new signings. Those three are among the few fringe players who could bring in a fee. But a disillusioned Innes, who is rated in the £50,000—£100,000 bracket, believes he could have had a fairer crack of the whip. He argued: “People have said my career has stalled, but I don’t agree with that. “I’ve had a few quiet games this season, but that happens to everyone. “I had been to see the manager about going out on loan because, at my age, I need to be playing first-team football. “I didn’t expect to end up on the transfer list, and I think the rest of the squad were a bit shocked as well. “They thought I had done something out of the ordinary because I train with them every day and I know they have confidence in me. “I think the same goes for the manager. There were other reasons for putting me on the list — I know it’s financial because I’ve been told about it — and the club wants to get some money in.”

Innes was handed a recall at Bury on Saturday when Athletic were short of numbers in midfield. It was his first start for three months and only his tenth in the league this season. Despite making his debut in September, 1997, Innes has never played more than five consecutive games. He has the raw ingredients to be top class and, despite failing to make the breakthrough expected of him, isn’t short of self-belief. He went on: “I’ve been here for five years and, if I could get a run in the first team, I’d like to stay. “If the young boys could all stay together, we would definitely get up into the first division. “To be honest, I didn’t really expect to be here this long because I thought I would be playing in the first team and maybe would have got a move. “I’m very ambitious and, if I got the chance, I’m sure I could cope with a higher level. “Sometimes you have to move on, I suppose, and I have my career to think about — I’m not doing myself any favours by playing in the reserves every week. “If a decent club does come in for me, then my situation means I would obviously have to look at it seriously. “At the start of the season, the gaffer told me I’d been inconsistent and needed a spell in the reserves. “The first team were doing badly at the time and that probably counted against me. “Because the first team have started to pick up since then, it has been especially hard to get back in. “I believe I have a lot to offer, though. I try to keep the ball and I’m still doing quite well in the reserves. “I do think I deserve a run in the team. And that shows when I get a chance because I usually play quite well. “It would be nice if there was a place for me in the side and I honestly think there’s a place for me at the club. But maybe it’s just not to be.”

Last season: Oldham 2 Chesterfield 0

Key Opponent: David Reeve found the net on Saturday for a side that has scored just 21 goals in 33 games.

Leading marksman David Reeves believes Chesterfield FC may sell him after he rejected a new contract with the Saltergate club this  week.  The Blues ace, who has found the net 13 times this season, thinks he could be on his way before transfer deadline day later this month. ‘‘I want to stay with Chesterfield but the club made me a final offer which I have turned down. ‘I don’t think I’m making unreasonable demands but the offer was not what I was looking for and I don’t know what will happen,’’ said Reeves. The striker, who joined the Blues from Division Two rivals Preston for £100,000 plus the exchange of Tony Lormor, would be able to move away from Saltergate on a free transfer this summer under the Bosman ruling. But team captain Reeves reckons that the club may be tempted to sell him rather than miss out on a fee. The Blues turned down an offer for their star man from Scunthorpe in January and Notts County were reported to be interested. Reeves became an instant favourite with the fans after e signing in 1997 and he praised their backing. ‘‘The supporters have been great and I do not want them to think that I’m being greedy. ‘‘But it will probably be the last contract I sign and it is important for me that it’s right,’’ he said.

Manager John Duncan, who wants Reeves to stay, acknowledged that the player had turned down new terms. ‘‘What happens now is anyone’s guess — but it does not mean that this is the end of it,’’ he said. Another key man having discussions about a new contract is midfielder Tom Curtis. ‘‘I was made an offer two months ago but I have not rejected or accepted it — talks are on-going,’’ said the midfielder. Curtis is back in contention after recovering from a badly-twisted ankle and could be included in the squad for Saturday’s away game at promotion-hopefuls Stoke City. Frontman Jonathan Howard is also approaching match fitness and midfield man Marcus Ebdon will soon be returning to the frame. Duncan believes the esprit de corps shown by his team in the victory over Reading will stand his side in good stead. ‘‘If the quality and ability is not up to the teams around you, it can be difficult. But if you have passion and play with the heart and fight that we did there is always hope,’’ he said.

On Tuesday the Blues are on their travels again to face mid-table Oldham Athletic.