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Alessandra eyes return
Reporter: KEITH McHUGH
Date online: 27/01/2010
Hopes of landing hitman Heffernan hit a snag
ATHLETIC’S attempts to solve their goalscoring crisis have been handed a boost after Lewis Alessandra announced he is close to making a comeback from a serious ankle injury.
But just as the Boundary Park club were celebrating the news of Alessandra’s imminent return, their bid to lure Paul Heffernan from Doncaster Rovers hit a major snag.
Heffernan, who has been out of favour at the Keepmoat Stadium for most of this season and is Athletic’s main transfer target following a month’s loan spell at Boundary Park, was recalled to the Rovers first team last night for the visit of Middlesbrough.
With fellow striker Dean Shields injured, Heffernan was needed up front and he played the whole 90 minutes of Rovers’ 4-1 Coca-Cola Championship defeat.
The transfer deadline passes next Monday and, unless Doncaster’s casualty list eases, Heffernan is unlikely to be allowed to join Athletic — or any other club.
Alessandra, meanwhile, is on course to return to action for Athletic reserves in their match at Blackpool next Wednesday.
The 20-year-old, who scored a hat-trick for Athletic’s first team against Scunthorpe at Boundary Park last season, damaged ankle ligaments while on loan at Blue Square Premier outfit Chester City in September.
He is set to resume training and hopes to be fit enough to face Blackpool’s second string.
He told Athletic’s website: “I am aiming to play some part in next Wednesday’s game, even if it is only for 15 or 20 minutes, to see how my ankle stands up.
“Even though it will only be a reserve game, it will be more intense and a completely different work-out to training.”
Athletic reflected on at last night’s League One results with mixed emotions.
Gillingham and Brighton, the two clubs immediately above them, were held to draws at Hartlepool and bottom club Stockport, but Tranmere are only a point behind the Boundary Park club following their 2-1 victory at home to Yeovil.
TOM Eaves, who came on as a late substitute against Millwall on Saturday, is in Athletic’s squad for tonight’s reserve-team game at Middlesbrough (7pm).
Have Your Say
we need to send 3 out on loan to get 2 players in I've been told
Smalley
Alessandra
Parker
Penney take notice quickly , tic toc
Alessandra is weeks away from first team action, even then, he will be rusty and far from the answer - we need solutions NOW!
I do hope Penney doesn't decide to strengthen 'other areas' in the light of this revelation.
As i have said Heffernan is not the answer to our striking problems, neither is Lewis Allesandra, yes he did score a hattrick against Scunthorpe and it was a beauty, but he did nothing after that and went out on loan, we desperately need a proven goalscorer or the drop looms.
Latics fan who think its all doom and gloom should look at some attendances at games last night!
Even if we were doing well this year our attendances wouldnt be much better, only 3 teams over 5000 last night, Hartlepool got 2500, ITS NOT JUST US BOYS~!
Hold onto the cheque book Lewis back, all the problems solved!
So Alessandra is close to returning, hooray, as good player as he is, the Latics are going down unless the manager goes and goes quickly!!!!
Louis was only ever good enough to be a sub and not even that in penneys eyes.Most of the the others were not good enough to get agame at Hfield or Penneys old clubs.Penney only ever did well while he had a chairman pumping in the money.We need a manager that can operate on a shoestring budget. This one has proven that he can't
oldham scotland you talk drivel! do you even go to the games or just continue to slag the club off on here. if it wasnt for corney and co we'd probably be bankrupt and no club. all those moaning about moving need to get a grip aswell, a new stadium is the best thing that cud happen to oldham!
Follyoaks, yes i should be thankful the so called saved the club, and now for 20 quid a match i can now watch sub standard pub football, i could blind fold my local pub football team and they would run rings round this lot. as for the drivel seems like more and more are talking it then, looking at quite a few recent comments, but of course we are wrong and you know best.
Ohhh joy Alessandra is back another striker problem solved, no need to get another striker now, is what they are saying. would any other set of supporters put up with the dross and mismanagement of this club at theirs? NO!. and yes alessandra has done nothing before and since the hatrick.
By OLDHAM SCOTLAND @ 27/01/2010 12:44:44
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