Get behind Shez, says Eyres

MY OLD MATE CAN DO IT . . . David Eyres (right) and John Sheridan pictured in 2006. Eyres reckons keeping Athletic in Sky Bet League One would top anything his former team-mate has achieved in his career so far.

JOHN Sheridan could top anything in his stellar career by saving Athletic from relegation, says former team-mate David Eyres.

But the manager needs the backing of the Athletic board to bring in new players as the emergency loan market reopens this week.

The club acquired no new blood on deadline day to add to two signings so far, Matt Palmer and Anthony Gerrard. A winger and target man are top of the wanted list, ahead of a vital period for Athletic’s clutch at safety. A dozen games are on the fixture list in the next seven weeks, starting with a trip to Wigan on Saturday.

Eyres says Sheridan — who represented the Republic of Ireland in two World Cups, scored a League Cup final-winning goal for Sheffield Wednesday and won the League Two title with Chesterfield as a manager — is under no illusion about the size of the task.

“He realises the job he has taken on,” Eyres said. “Hopefully after that first win, he can kick on. It will take an almighty effort to keep us up.

“I am sure he wouldn’t have come back unless he felt he was the right person to get the team out of trouble. If he keeps the team in league One, it will be as good an achievement as anything in his career.”

Eyres believes a slip to the lower division - Athletic’s first since 1971 - would be damaging. But he also believes Sheridan is aware what needs to be done to avoid it.

“I have a really close affinity with the club and don’t want to see us in this position. A lot of hard work has gone into creating the new stand and it is important it pays dividends by staying in League One.

“It is important Shez is given the right backing to give the team the best chance of surviving. The fans will look back on the glory of the Premier League days, but I think we need to move on. We have been a very solid League One club for a number of years. You now have someone in charge who has the fans and the club in his heart. Given the chance to get those players, he believes he can achieve his goal.”

The condition of the Oldham pitch raises Eyres’ concern though: “I don’t think it’s helping,” he said. “Looking at it against Bury, it doesn’t suit Shez’s style. You saw the benefit of a good pitch at Shrewsbury, so it could cause a few issues.”


ATHLETIC’S home game with Blackpool, postponed last Saturday due to a waterlogged pitch, will now take place on Tuesday, March 15 (7.45pm kick-off).