Boss seeking fresh blood

LIAM KELLY . . . the skipper was a double winner at last night’s end of season awards.

JOHN Sheridan wants to change more than HALF of his first-choice team for next season.

Athletic’s manager ­— who has emerged as the bookies’ favourite to take over at another of his former clubs, Leeds United ­— wants “six or seven” fresh faces in to
replace players who started in the final-day defeat to Coventry.

Sheridan met with the board of directors yesterday to discuss plan for a 2016-17 campaign in which he has pledged to aim for the play-offs.

To achieve that, the 51-year-old feels that there needs to be an overhaul of the playing squad.

As it stands, only four players are under contract for next season ­— though offers are
being made to others, including key centre-back Anthony Gerrard.

“One or two have said they are interested in staying and one or two are still under contract,” said Sheridan.

“But it will be a new team. I feel as though I have got to change things. There are good things in what they have shown this season and I don’t want to say I will change every player.

“But I would say there are probably six or seven I would like to bring in, who I would like to be in my starting team for the first game of next season.”

Sheridan’s name emerged yesterday as favourite to take over at Leeds.

Steve Evans is expected to leave the Championship club when his contract runs out on June 30 and Sheridan, who had seven successful years early in his playing career at Elland Road, is 6-4 at SkyBet to be the man who steps in.

As for the contract offers he will put to his existing players without deals in place for next term, Athletic’s manager indicated there won’t be much room for negotiation.

“I am not sure of the politics. I let others deal with that,” he added. “I just tell a player, ‘I would like you to stay’. We offer him a deal and if he doesn’t accept it, we move elsewhere.”

AT last night’s end-of-season awards’ ceremony, Liam Kelly picked up both the players’ player and Focus Education Fans Player of the season gongs.

Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s 25-yard strike against Rochdale won Athletic’s Oldham College goal of the season and Joel Coleman scooped the Boundary Blues Player of the season.