King George

Reporter: by MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 08 August 2014


ATHLETIC officials were hopeful this morning of sealing a deal which would see George Elokobi become the ninth new signing of the summer.

A one-year contract was expected to be signed and sealed before the team head down to Colchester — the experienced Elokobi’s old club before he acquired cult hero status with Wolves.

And the expected switch has been made possible thanks in a large part to the funds provided by PlayerShare.

“PlayerShare received a request from (manager) Lee Johnson to help bring George to the club,” a spokesperson from the scheme told the Chronicle.

“The committee had no hesitation in supporting Lee’s opinion that George will become both a fans’ favourite and a quality player for the team this season.”

Other arrivals at the club in recent years thanks to the PlayerShare scheme include Luke Beckett, Cedric Evina, Shefki Kuqi and Edijs Joksts.

Elokobi (28) has been without a club since leaving Molineux at the end of last season, ending a six-year association with Wolves.

A regular in the club’s Premier League days, he began his career on these shores in more humble fashion with non-league Dulwich Hamlet before getting a move to the U’s a decade ago.

Elokobi’s career has stalled a little in the last couple of years, with a bad ankle injury ruling him out of most of the 2012-13 season, and he had been on trial at Athletic’s Sky Bet League One rivals Leyton Orient last month.

But after a contract offer for centre-back Miguel Llera was withdrawn by Athletic, the Cameroon-born left-sided defender was brought in and in the estimation of Johnson had a positive impact behind the scenes.

He is in contention for a debut tomorrow in a squad containing seven other new boys, the exception being Amari Morgan-Smith who is still 10 to 14 days away from being fit.

One of the new men, Brian Wilson, spent four seasons playing for Colchester and their manager Joe Dunne clearly appreciated his former captain’s qualities during that time.

“Brian did very well for us when he was here,” Dunne said. “He’s at a new club now and is back with his family in Manchester.

“One thing for sure is that when he played, he always did his best for the club.

“We wish him well at his new club but come Saturday, it will be a different story.”

Athletic (probable, 4-1-4-1): Rachubka; B Wilson, Kusunga, J Wilson, Mills; Dieng; Winchester, Kelly (c), Jones, Dayton; Clarke-Harris. Subs (from): Coleman, Brown, Mellor, Elokobi, Philliskirk, Gros, Forte, Bove.

* FOR DETAILS on how to contribute to PlayerShare, visit www.laticsplayershare.com

TOMORROW’S fixtures in Sky Bet League are —

Barnsley v Crawley. Bradford v Coventry. Colchester v Oldham. Fleetwood v Crewe. Leyton Orient v Chesterfield. MK Dons v Gillingham. Port Vale v Walsall. Preston v Notts County. Rochdale v Peterborough. Sheff Utd v Bristol City (1215). Swindon v Scunthorpe. Yeovil v Doncaster.