MacDonald blow sparks Latics front-man hunt

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 06 December 2013


ATHLETIC have a couple of options in their hunt for a new striker - more urgent following the injury blow to Charlie MacDonald.

The transfer market is being scoured by manager Lee Johnson to track down a player capable of contributing alongside remaining strike trio Jonson Clarke-Harris, Adam Rooney and Danny Philliskirk.

Johnson hopes to find someone to slot on to the substitutes’ bench for tomorrow’s second-round FA Cup tie at home to Mansfield Town.

But if that doesn’t happen the manager won’t panic: “We’re looking for someone who is a good player, who has been out of contract for a while and who is really looking to himself in the shop window until January. If they do well they stay with us; if they do really well, they go to a Championship side.

“There are a couple of names floating about. It might or might not happen by Saturday or even after that. I don’t just want to bring someone in for the sake of it.

Charlie MacDonald had an injection yesterday to try to quicken the healing process on a thigh muscle tear, but he is expected to be out for at least a month.

Kirk Millar is out of action for another couple of weeks and youth-team striker Jordan Bove isn’t experience enough to be a regular option.

Get past Mansfield tomorrow and then beyond Chesterfield three days later and into the area final of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and Johnson admits that chairman Simon Corney might be asked to loosen the purse strings.

“But more importantly, forget about the money, we want to do it because we want to do it.,” said the manager

“I want to add another trophy to the cabinet. Whatever tournament we are in, I want to do my utmost to win it.”
mattchambers@oldham-chronicle.co.uk