Let me loose, pleads Dan

JUST GIVE ME A CHANCE . . . Dan Taylor (left) is determined to make an impact for Athletic.

DAN Taylor has had to be patient while waiting for a stab at a first-team place with Athletic.

Despite featuring regularly and with some promise in pre-season, the 19 year old has only played twice, both briefly as a substitute. He hasn’t played at all since the home draw with Walsall in August.

Taylor put himself back in the manager's thoughts this week with a hat-trick for the reserves against Wrexham.

With Athletic having scored only 20 goals in League One this season — the joint second-lowest tally in the division — the former Newcastle man has given Paul Dickov a timely nudge. He will probably make it on to the bench tomorrow.

And if Athletic find themselves in need of a special FA Cup moment against Doncaster, Taylor believes he will provide it.

"I haven't been playing and I am desperate to get on the pitch," said Taylor, who had Brighton, Hearts and Preston all looking at him following his release from Newcastle's academy in the summer.

"I didn't expect to walk into the team and knew I would have to fight for a place. Maybe I expected to play a little bit more than I am at the moment. I definitely want to. It is a case of waiting for my chance and when it comes, I'll take it."