Testing times for Latics

LEE Croft is put through his paces as players take a fitness test at Bolton University

ATHLETIC'S dwindling squad has resumed pre-season training ­- but as manager interviews continue, only FIVE senior contracted professionals were available to take part.

The wafer-thin squad was complemented yesterday by Brian Wilson and Lee Croft for fitness testing at the University of Bolton, at which coach Peter Shirtliff took control.

Experienced defender Wilson (33) later signed a new one-year extension to his contract to stay on at the club.

Connor Brown, Carl Winchester and Jake Cassidy were also present, along with the only other player with first-team experience, teenager George Edmundson.

Croft, who remains out of contract, was back and bidding to win a new deal for 2016-17.

The testing session was recorded on the club's official social media channel and showed players sprinting and jumping while being monitored.

The other players at the session were first-year professionals Kallum Mantack, Jamie Stott and Lee Knight, plus Danny Byrnes. Rhys Murphy was not at the session. He has been heavily linked with a move to Sky Bet League Two outfit Crawley, where he enjoyed a successful loan spell last season.

Some players were not wearing official training kit and it served to further illustrate just how much work the club have to do in order to build towards a workable set of players ahead of the first friendly against Huddersfield Town in only 11 days' time.

Athletic remain the only club in League One yet to make a new signing ahead of a new season that kicks off in a month's time.

Sean O'Driscoll and Shirtliff have been brought on board as the club's new backroom staff, with Lee Turnbull in as chief scout.

Shefki Kuqi appeared set for the manager's job until late last week, but interviews have continued since, with O'Driscoll sitting in on them.

Bristol City's first-team coach John Pemberton is the latest name to be linked with the job.

It was likely that a large number of trialists would take part in the first on-field training sessions on grass this morning.

Athletic currently have five first-team friendlies planned this month: Huddersfield, Preston and Wigan at home and AFC Fylde and Grimsby away.

FORMER Athletic loan striker Curtis Main has signed for Portsmouth from Doncaster for an undisclosed fee.

The striker scored four goals in 18 games last season to help stave off the threat of relegation while on loan.