Beyond the call of duty

Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 03 April 2014


MARIO Cavallino has shown his support for Athletic by becoming one of the first fans to buy a season ticket for 2014-15 — despite living in Afghanistan for nine months of the year!

The 43-year-old one-time Royton and Crompton School pupil is a lifelong fan of Latics but is about to start a new role for NATO at Kabul airport.

He will return on leave for a month in August – just in time for the start of new season.

But the former flight sergeant, who left the RAF after 23 years in November, will mainly be following the club’s fortunes over the internet — from 3,500 miles away.

And if he is still prepared to help swell Athletic’s bank balance, he reckons others should too.

“I had a season ticket last year, but this time I didn’t get one as I knew I would be working away,” said Cavallino, whose father owns a Yorkshire Street hairdressing business.

“But I wanted to do my little bit for the club, so I decided to get one for next season. Hopefully plenty of others will do the same.

“We have a cracking young manager in Lee Johnson and the club has stability under Simon Corney, who despite all the criticism has done superbly to keep this club afloat. Things are moving forward, as you can see from the new stand.”



::Athletic have offered professional contracts to three second-year trainees. Goalkeeper Joel Coleman and prolific striker Jordan Bove – both in the first-team squad for the Brentford game – are joined by Jack Truelove.

John Pritchard, who hit the crossbar with a shot against Colchester in December, has been released, as have Will Kinder, Tom Clarke, Michael Brewster and Haydn Foulds.