Shirtliff experience could prove vital to Latics

Photo: Darren Robinson

Peter Shirtliff: “If you are going to win games, there are times you need to just take a step back and calm things down”

PETER Shirtliff says he will add a dose of serenity to Athletic’s new-look dug-out.

The 54-year-old assistant to John Sheridan met up with the squad on the day the team beat Shrewsbury, then offered advice from the technical area at Greenhous Meadow in Athletic first league win since November.

While Athletic still face an uphill battle to stay up, Shirtliff says he wouldn’t have agreed to join the club alongside Sheridan if he didn’t believe a great escape from the drop is possible.

“I’ll look at all areas,” said Shirtliff. “I bring a bit of experience and composure, which is important. If you are going to win games, there are times you need to take a step back and calm things down.

“I’ll bring a general organisation, organise minor details that are important in aspects of the game. We can get out of this. I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t think we could.”

Shirtliff’s arrival at Athletic ends a 20-month hiatus from the game. After a distinguished playing career, he started coaching with youth team players at Barnsley and Leicester. In 2005, a spell as assistant manager at Mansfield saw him take on the top job as a caretaker after Carlton Palmer was dismissed.

He later moved to Tranmere as an assistant then alongside Danny Wilson at Swindon before moving to Bury as Richie Barker’s assistant in June 2011. He was there until the appointment of Kevin Blackwell in September 2012.