Forte retained for next season

jonathan Forte, pictured scoring against Sheffield United, struggled with injuries in the second half of last season.

NEW Athletic boss Darren Kelly is happy to keep faith in last season’s top scorer Jonathan Forte despite the talented front man spending much of the second half of last season on the treatment table.

Forte (28) was the big name on Kelly’s retained list. Also staying are Welsh international defender James Wilson and youngsters Rhys Turner, Jordan Bove and Jack Truelove.

Connor Brown, Adam Lockwood and George Elokobi have been offered new deals, with the decision on the latter set to raise a few eyebrows as the former Wolves defender struggled with injuries last term.

It isn’t clear whether club skipper Lockwood (33) will continue solely as a player or seek to move towards the coaching side. No decision has been reached on utility man David Mellor.

Wide-man James Dayton (26) has been released after ending last term on loan at St Mirren, as has Amari Morgan-Smith (also 26), who scored twice in 15 appearances following last summer’s switch from Kidderminster.

Kelly had given a clear indication of his support for Forte who, following last summer’s transfer from Southampton, scored 13 goals before the end of 2014. Injuries contributed to him scoring only twice more before the end of the season.

Kelly said: “I have chatted to the players and I will support, help and manage them. Ultimately for me, it is about having as fit a team as possible for as long as possible.”

Kelly hinted at a potential future target as he continues reshaping his squad. He was already known to be an admirer of 21-year-old attacking midfielder Duncan Watmore, who signed for Kelly’s former club Sunderland in May 2013.

Asked about the prospect of adding Watmore to his squad, the Athletic boss said: “I think he’s absolutely fantastic. He should be playing first-team football at Sunderland, I believe. If I thought for a second we could get him then he would be a great acquisition. I’d say watch this space, though.”

Athletic will head off to Scotland for a week on July 12 for pre-season training in Stirling.



TRUST Oldham’s ‘meet the manager’ event with Darren Kelly on Thursday is already sold out.



twitter: @Smedders1966