9th February 2000   

Sheridan passes the test

ATHLETIC are set to perform a surprise U-turn and ditch their plans for a new striker. Manager Andy Ritchie is waiting to see how Craig Dudley and Paul Beavers progress this week before he commits himself to a loan signing. Both players are pencilled in for comebacks in tomorrow night’s reserve-team match at Bury. Dudley has missed the last month with a severely-bruised foot, while the latest problem for Beavers was a groin strain. 

Ritchie has been chasing one particular forward — a youngster who plays for a first division club — since losing Mark Allott to injury last week. But all his enquiries are now on hold. In the home game against Gillingham on Saturday, he could instead stick with Steve Whitehall and Matthew Tipton, using Dudley or Beavers as cover. 

Ritchie explained: “If we can get those lads fit, we will have quite a few strikers to choose from. They should get the chance first and it would seem a bit out of order if I added to the wage bill when we don’t need to bring someone in. 

“There was a practice match on Saturday (for all the players who weren’t at Millwall) and I’m told Craig was looking especially sharp. They should both get a competitive game tomorrow but, if it’s called off because of the weather, we can still have another practice match to help them out.” 

Tipton will be free to play on Saturday as his ban for being sent off at Millwall doesn’t begin until the following weekend. Athletic are waiting to hear how long the suspension will be, but three games is the standard sentence for violent conduct. Iain Swan, who was made available on a free transfer in November, is poised to join Leigh RMI on a one-month loan. Swan (19) will be filling the gap left by Paul Jones when the defender joined Athletic from the Unibond League part-timers. Full-back Ian McLean, who can also move for free, is hoping to go on trial at non-league Telford. 

Former Sunderland striker Beavers out to silence his critics

FORGOTTEN man Paul Beavers has vowed to silence the critics and end his first season with Athletic on a high. The 21-year-old striker has hardly featured since his move from Sunderland but, after hearing questions raised about his commitment, he is now aiming to prove a point. “I know a few people have had a got at me, but I’m doing everything I can to get back,” said Beavers, who has been plagued by injury problems all season. “I’m sick of all these setbacks — I just want to start playing football again because that’s what I’m here to do. “I can’t remember the last time I had three or four games in a row, even for the reserves, and I desperately need them. “I’m still waiting to prove what I can do, but I’m hoping to finish strongly by getting into the side as soon as I can.”

Beavers had an unhappy spell in Greece last season when Sunderland loaned him out to gain experience. He had to kick his heels until Athletic rescued him with a short-term deal as they fought to avoid relegation. Despite losing a lot of sharpness while abroad, Beavers was a hit at Boundary Park and scored two goals in his seven games. Manager Andy Ritchie spent all summer trying to prise him away from the Stadium of Light before Sunderland, for whom Beavers never made a first-team debut, eventually allowed him to leave on a free transfer. The six-foot target man was a high-profile arrival. His physical presence is something no other Athletic striker can match, while he always scored plenty of goals in the Wearsiders’ reserve and junior teams. But, having arrived short of full fitness, Beavers has been struggling ever since. An Achilles problem and, more recently, a groin injury have conspired to allow him only six senior appearances — none of them for the full 90 minutes.

Beavers said: “I didn’t have much of a pre-season, because Sunderland’s games were all about the first team. “That put me at a disadvantage straight away and then I had the injury problems which put me back for more than three months. I’m not the best of watchers anyway, but I haven’t enjoyed sitting in the stands at all. “It’s difficult when you want to get out there yourself. And it makes it harder because everyone had expected so much when I signed. “I was the same myself and you do start to feel you are letting people down when you are in that situation. “I’ve even been to see the manager about going out on loan because any games will do if it means getting match fitness.” Beavers initially had trouble settling into a new town, but he is now happily ensconced with fiancee Dominique. He is back in full training, half a stone lighter than during his first spell at the club and keeping his fingers crossed that a stint in the reserves will transform his fortunes. “I loved it here last season,” Beavers added. “I got on straight away with the rest of the lads and it was great to be back in the English game. “It was frustrating in Greece because they were all play-actors. You couldn’t tackle anyone or get stuck in properly. “That’s a big part of my game and, when I came back at the start of this season, I wanted to carry on where I’d left off. “My games have been limited ever since and it’s very disappointing that it hasn’t turned out the way I wanted. “But there’s still time for me to have a run in the side. “If I get that chance, I’ll be doing everything I can to make the most of it.”

Sheridan is clearly the pass master

NEWLY-RELEASED figures highlight John Sheridan as the most effective passing midfield player in the second division. Sheridan’s 26 league games this season have featured an amazing 1,439 passes — an average of 55 per match. That is well above anyone else in the division - but the veteran’s influence does not end there.

A total of 1,112 of those passes have reached their intended target, giving him an exceptional success rate of 77 per cent.

The stats from Carling Opta, who keep a highly-detailed check on Nationwide League action, relate to all matches up to, but not including, last weekend. They emphasise how vital Sheridan has become and give a clear explanation for why Athletic were so keen to keep him at the club.

Incidentally, the division’s second most reliable passer is Sean Gregan of Preston — and he is rated in the £800,000 bracket.

PLAYERS WITH MOST PASSES: John Sheridan (Athletic) 1,439; Graham Alexander (Preston) 1,278; Sean Gregan (Preston) 1,207.

PLAYERS WITH MOST SUCCESSFUL PASSES: John Sheridan (Athletic) 1,112; Sean Gregan (Preston) 819; Michael O’Neill (Wigan) 787.

When it comes to providing the final ball, Athletic have another man who ranks very highly.

Only one second division player has put in more crosses than Neil Adams, whose service has improved since he switched from winger to wing-back earlier in the season.

PLAYERS WITH MOST CROSSES: Graham Alexander (Preston) 235; Neil Adams (Athletic) and Brian Tinnion (Bristol City) 195.

Given the contributions of Sheridan and Adams, it is no surprise to see Athletic among the teams who have had most shots on target in the campaign so far.

Before weekend, the figure was 151, with Millwall the leaders on 153.

Ironically, it took an injury-time penalty for either side to score on Saturday, but that was due to the excellence of Athletic’s Gary Kelly. And Kelly has spent all season among the busiest goalkeepers in the division.

GOALKEEPERS WITH MOST SAVES: Darren Ward (Notts County) 112; Gary Kelly (Athletic) 97; Kevin Dearden (Wrexham) 96.

According to Carling Opta, Kelly’s chief supporting act has been centre-half Scott McNiven. The converted full-back has been a big success in his new role and the effort he puts into covering right across the line are backed up by statistics.

PLAYERS WITH MOST TACKLES: James O’Connor (Stoke) 114; Ian Richardson (Notts County) 86; Scott McNiven (Athletic) 83.

ATHLETIC’S resources will be stretched to the limit later this month when suspensions take another big bite from their squad. Bans for both Matthew Tipton and Scott McNiven might not be too serious if Andy Ritchie was dealing with a clean bill of health. But the manager also has five players on the sidelines and is set to rely even more heavily on the promising youngsters he hopes are the future of the club. McNiven is the first Athletic man this season to be banned under the totting-up system of disciplinary points. He has picked up five bookings, including three since Christmas, and must miss the trip to Wrexham a week on Saturday.

Assuming McNiven plays this weekend, the suspension will ruin his ever-present record for the campaign so far. It is a sign of the 21-year-old’s progress that he has played every minute of his club’s 36 league and cup games. Tipton himself was only one caution away from a ban when he got his marching orders at Millwall. His red card for violent conduct was especially costly as it means he will not only be absent at Wrexham but also for the home games against Wigan and Bristol Rovers. Ruled out by injury at the moment are Mark Allott, Phil Salt, Stuart Thom, Paul Beavers and Craig Dudley. All bar Allott, whose pulled hamstring will affect him out for another three weeks, are some way down the road to recovery. But Ritchie’s plans hinge on how quickly those journeys end — and only Dudley has a chance of being 100-per-cent fit by the end of the month. While the 20-year-old’s foot problem is clearing up well, fellow forward Paul Beavers still needs plenty of competitive action.

Midfielder Salt is back in full training, but ankle surgery means it will take time for him to get back on track. And the same applies to defender Thom, who is recuperating from the shoulder damage and broken collarbone inflicted in October by team-mate Gary Kelly. All of which could provide first-team openings for the up-and-coming players on Athletic’s books. Someone like Ben Futcher or Jordan Tait may be needed as cover for McNiven, while the two Danny's — Boshell and Walsh — are pushing for a midfield place with Mark Innes, who has so far failed to live up to last season’s form. Striker Ryan Sugden has also struggled at times but, as Mark Hotte’s emergence has proved, any youngster who takes advantage of injury problems can expect a regular place in the senior squad.

THE problems Athletic face in the transfer market were emphasised once again last week by a hat-trick of big-money deals. Three second division clubs splashed out big fees, with one of the main battlers against relegation managing to find £750,000 for a striker. Reading chairman John Madejski had already spent millions on a new stadium and the development of his club’s playing squad. Yet his huge investment was in serious peril of gurgling down the drain as The Royals faced the drop into the third division. With Reading only one place above the relegation zone, manager Alan Pardew was given the go-ahead to move for Cambridge United’s Martin Butler. The 19-goal hitman — whom Cambridge had vowed to keep while they were still in the FA Cup — was sold within a week of their elimination. Even for Reading and Madejski, the fee of £750,000 was no drop in the ocean. But what a massive advantage it must be for any club who can see a crisis and react with an open cheque book.

Another of the big transfers involved a struggler, with Scunthorpe signing centre-forward Steve Torpey from Bristol City. It seems likely that the £200,000 asking price will be based on appearances, but that kind of deal is still beyond the means of Athletic. Scunthorpe were the subject of an attempted £1million takeover recently, but the bid was turned down by the existing board. The club has also paid big wages to players such as Lionel Perez, Clint Marcelle and Manny Omoyimni, all of whom have spent time there on loan.

At the other end of the second division, Burnley have bolstered their promotion push by capturing Bournemouth captain Ian Cox for £500,000. The defender made his debut on Saturday — alongside £800,000 record signing Steve Davis. Transfers aren’t out of the question for Athletic, but budgets dictate that they work within far tighter restraints. Like Cambridge, who were forced to cash in so quickly on star-player Butler, they will remain a selling club for the foreseeable future.

PROPOSALS for the sale of Clayton playing fields should be put on hold, councillors will be told tomorrow night. 

The whole thing is being rushed through, Liberal Democrat councillors will tell a meeting of the Clayton trustees, who are the 60 Oldham councillors. And councillors John Anchor and Keith Pendlebury will suggest that the trustees wait until the Charity Commission has made a decision on swapping the fields for the Boundary Park site, so the Sports Park 2000 stadium and development can go ahead. 

They also say the deal can wait until the application to make Clayton a town green has been decided, and until there is full information about the financial package for the stadium development. 

Councillor Anchor said: “It seems the whole matter is being dealt with undue and unseemly haste. We are being asked to agree to terms for the disposal of the Clayton playing fields, in spite of the fact that many of the pieces of the jigsaw are still missing.”