G-Force to be reckoned with

ANTHONY Gerrard has praised the professionalism of Athletic team-mate Peter Clarke

ANTHONY Gerrard is used to handing Athletic a pick-me-up - and the trick appears to be working all over again.

The signing of the centre-back was delayed due to the registration embargo put on the club, but after being lifted he was able to pen a two-and-a-half-year deal to work under John Sheridan.

The positive impact of his return has been felt keenly enough that despite being set off at Chesterfield for an incident in which the "red mist" came down, in his own words, Gerrard is likely to slot straight back in against Coventry tomorrow having served his suspension.

The 31-year-old defender is no stranger to playing in sides struggling against the drop in Sky Bet League One.

The results when he does play, though, are impressive.

Over the past three seasons at this level, including a 15-game spell at Shrewsbury last term, Gerrard has been on the winning side in 19 of his 43 appearances.

Translated across a full season, that gives a total of 73 points - enough to make the play-offs in 2014-15.

This time around, he has been reunited in a defensive pairing with Peter Clarke, a player he knew from his days as a trainee at Everton.

And while the two thirty-somethings aren't blessed with lightning pace any longer, they have other strengths.

"Sometimes you don't need to be quick when you have the experience and know-how we have as a pair," said Gerrard. "We know where to go and where not to go on the pitch at certain times and if I get dragged out, I know Clarkey will be there to cover and vice-versa.

"We get people in front of us to do their fair share as well. Even though our job title is 'defender', the defending starts from the front and that's what we have been doing.

"Clarkey was at the end of his career at Everton when I was there and I've known him for a number of years.

"Clarkey is what he is. He gives you 100-per-cent and he does exactly what it says on the tin.

'OUTSTANDING'

"This season, he has been outstanding and we were fortunate to hold off a late bid for him in January. At the stage of his career he is at, it's testament to him that teams want to bring him in to bolster their ranks.

"He goes about everything in the right way."

Scunthorpe's loss in missing out on signing Clarke has been Athletic's gain, the skipper netting the winner at Chesterfield last week.

While it's something of a surprise his colleague Gerrard didn't get fixed up with a club before being invited in to train with Athletic in October, the lengthy contract he has signed means he will not be in the same position come the end of the campaign.

And former Huddersfield and Cardiff man Gerrard feels that next term, he can be part of a squad pushing for the top six.

"In terms of security, it wasn't fair on my family to be in the position that I was putting them in, not knowing where I was going to be," said Gerrard, when asked about the reasons for signing long-term.

"It could have been the same this summer, not finding a club until October or November,

"Also, the chairman (Simon Corney) talked to be about staying up and next year it puts it into perspective that the club doesn't want to just stand still. It's trying to be a progressive club.

"The club has been in League One now for 19 seasons which is a hell of a long time.

"It's time now we start going forward in an upward motion."