Latics line up Quakers pair

JASON KENNEDY and Pawel Abbott are understood to be the players Athletic have offered terms to for the new season.

Though manager Dave Penney has refused to disclose the identities of the pair, it is believed he has made a double raid on former-club Darlington.

Highly-rated midfield man Kennedy and striker Abbott are both reported to have visited Boundary Park last week, something Athletic have denied.

As Darlington are in administration, Athletic would be able to land them for free and it is no secret Penney is an admirer of both players - with Kennedy described by a source in the North East as his No 1 target from the Quakers.

Kennedy (22) kicked off his career at Middlesbrough, for whom he made four Premier League appearances before joining Darlington last season following a loan spell in 2007/08.

Abbott, a former Polish under-21 international, has played for Preston, Huddersfield and Swansea, but his two seasons at Darlington, who bought him for £100,000, have both been interrupted by injury.

Scottish Premier League club Hearts and former-club Huddersfield are also reportedly hot on the heels of the 27-year-old Abbott.

Penney admitted he is by no means certain, however, of landing his targets as he says there is competition from other clubs.

“Any good player will be in demand and the players concerned have both received more than one offer,” he explained.

Penney is also being linked with Darlington central defender Steve Foster, a player described as a leader in the Tony Adams mould and a type Athletic desperately need.

The 34-year-old Foster has worked with Penney at Doncaster and Darlington, for whom he quit Scunthorpe having helped them win the League One title in 2006/07.

Other Darlington players in the frame include utility man Rob Purdie, defenders Neil Austin and Alan White, combative midfield player Rick Ravenhill and Liechtenstein international winger Franz Burgmeier.

Bradford City are also reporting interest from Athletic in their central defender Graeme Lee, a player who was Penney’s first-team captain at Doncaster.

Lee (30) spent the first eight seasons of his career at Hartlepool before transferring to Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster and more recently Bradford.