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Heffernan snubs Athletic again
Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date online: 09/02/2010
IN-DEMAND striker Paul Heffernan has turned Athletic down for a second time, snubbing the club in favour of a loan switch to Coca-Cola League One rivals Bristol Rovers.
Athletic manager Dave Penney was keen to bring the 28-year-old Doncaster forward back to Boundary Park after a successful loan period earlier this season in which he scored in a home win against Exeter and made a total of four appearances.
Doncaster had refused a request to extend the Irish player’s one-month spell with Athletic due to the South Yorkshire club suffering from injuries.
This time, though, with the transfer window open and an offer of a return to Athletic, Heffernan himself has chosen instead to move to the Memorial Stadium on a one-month deal on the day the emergency loan window reopened.
The move has left Athletic officials stunned, having been told by Doncaster when they tried to extend his existing loan in January to wait until this point in time to try again.
And it echoes the goings-on in 2005, when Athletic had a deal signed and sealed with Heffernan only for the player to instead join Doncaster.
“I think I have plenty to offer Bristol Rovers,” Heffernan told the official Rovers website.
“I have been sitting on the bench up at Doncaster for most of the season, so I want to get out and prove that I can still score goals at whatever level because you are soon forgotten about in this game.”
Dave Penney will now turn his attentions to other striking options but in the meantime, is set to partner Jason Price up front with Pawel Abbott once again in tonight’s League One clash at Swindon Town.
Athletic are set to field an unchanged line-up following on from the 1-0 victory at Tranmere which lifted the team out of the relegation zone.
Former Boundary Park loan star Alan Sheehan, now plying his trade with the Robins, won’t take part in the game at the County Ground. The left-back remains another two weeks away from full fitness with a hamstring problem.
French striker Vincent Pericard should be fit to take his place on the bench after recovering from a similar problem.
Athletic (probable): Brill; Goodwin, Hazell, Gregan, Jacobson; Smalley, Furman, Stephens, Whitaker; Abbott, Price. Subs (from): Flahavan, Aljofree, Marrow, Taylor, Parker, Colbeck, Brooke.
Swindon (probable): Lucas; Amankwaah, Cuthbert, Greer, Jean-Francois; McGovern, Douglas, Ferry, Ward; Paynter, Austin. Subs (from): O’Brien, Timlin, Easton, Morrison, Pericard, Marshall, Smith, Macklin.
Have Your Say
Didn't set the world on fire when he was here on loan and then snubs us for a second time, good riddance Heffernan, let's start with players who want to be here and do a job for us!
Well no suprise there then seeing that he has done this before, but to be honest would you want to come to boundary park?. A decent win at tranmere but nothing to go over the top about, as they are as bad as us at the moment, but lets see if this win did anything for the morale of the team in tonights match another three points will be more than welcome.
I'm glad Heffernan has snubbed us. We dont want players who are not up for it.
that just sums up the way things have gone this season. penney was desperate for him to come but he has chose bristol rovers why?
what has he seen at latics that has put him off a return.
he has chosen to spend time away from his family down bristol, its not money as clubs match the wage at donny.
he was familiar with latics players. the club is baffled.
how do you think us fans feel
Sincerely hope after this clown Heffernans latest move, that Mr Penney drops ALL INTEREST IN HIM, his days are well and truly gone and despite his age, he's not the striker he used to be when we were offering £125,000 for him in 2005.
Obviously Mr Penney didn't know him as well as he thought !
Paul Heffernan glad we never got him back he was a waste of space there are better players then Paul Heffernan out there for us.
Paul Heffernan has got habits of turning us down when we were after .
What a relief Heffernan has gone elswhere, now come on Latics try and get Fabien Brandy from Utd if it's not too late
Surely the club knew of Heffernan's intentions before going on record sulking about it. No loss in my opinion. I'm sure he'll go for another one of his old boys again.
Also just goes to prove that Heffernan is only in it for the money and not for the shirt & team.
Who cares about Heffernan, he scored a deflected goal and missed a penalty! If he chose Rovers over the Latics then it goes to show that his heart wasn't in playing for us even history with him proves that. We don't want any player in the side that's only 'Here for the Beer'
He was Ugly so and so anyway!
Heffernan i'm glad you didnt sign, Not because you arent good enough but because we want players who want to play for us.
Players like him are two a Penney! Pardon the pun
He's done us a favour, then. Now we can look at getting somebody half decent in, instead.
If he did not score we were playing with ten men as he contributed little else. we could not afford that luxury as he never looked like scoring anyway.league 2 at best these days.
Oldham wouldnt sell Doncaster Chris Taylor and they havent forgotten that !
Hopefully Hardy will be on the phone today for another striker or will we end up with another journeyman ?
By oafc-fan @ 09/02/2010 12:23:56
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