Turner grateful for Latics chance

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 26 March 2015


RHYS Turner is letting his feet — rather than his mother — do the talking for him at Athletic.

The 19-year-old striker made it three goals in as many appearances with two against Rochdale this week. The double strike announced the Preston-born £20,000 signing as having arrived in the senior game - several years after his mum called Blackburn bosses and said he wouldn’t be returning to training.

“They had about 30 players in each squad and playing 10 minutes a week wasn’t what I wanted. I signed for Preston until I was 16, then went to Myerscough - the best footballing college in the

country at the time - which is where I was seen.”

Stockport’s then-assistant boss Alan Lord moved him to Edgeley Park two years ago and last year Athletic manager Lee Johnson swooped to land a player described as the equal of Cardiff’s Anthony Pilkington at the same age.

“The first few months I struggled; I was coming into a new team halfway through the season,” Turner said of his first Oldham season.

“This season it’s completely different. Everyone is as one and you might be able to see that on the pitch. Whether you are 29 like George Elokobi or 19 like me and Joel Coleman, everyone gets on. It’s a really good group.”

Turner had an undiagnosed hamstring problem at Stockport which led to further muscle problems, but hopes now these are at an end: “When I arrived it hadn’t properly healed and there was still an underlying tear, which we didn’t know about. But I have strengthening sessions on it twice a week and it is looking quite strong now. The MK Dons game was the first in six months where I have felt 100-per-cent comfortable.”

Turner is clearly confident in his own ability. His second goal in the derby - a mix of great close control and awful defending - saw him ignore a run into space. Had he failed to score, he would have heard about it.

“Winch (Carl Winchester) ran on the outside, which made the defender’s mind up. He gave me a yard and I went for it,” Turner said.

That self-assurance also showed up in a meeting with manager Dean Holden in advance of the game: “I was asking questions and asking for him to give me a chance,” said Turner.

“I was thankful that he did — and I am hopeful it carries on.”