Maher fits the bill for Shez

JOHN SHERIDAN has described transfer target Kevin Maher as the kind of midfielder who could have a big impact on Athletic.

As the Chronicle revealed yesterday, Sheridan is among several managers chasing the 31-year-old – and he is determined to get his man.

Maher, who was recently freed after 10 years at Southend, is still weighing up his options after being made an offer to join Athletic’s push for promotion.

League Two side Gillingham appear favourites to land Maher, who has been training pre-season at Priestfield and appeared for the Gills in last night’s friendly against Stevenage.

Sheridan said: “He’s a good player, somebody I like, and I am definitely interested.

“He has won promotion from this division, played at a higher level, captained his side and is a leader on the pitch.

“I want someone who will organise people and boss them around because I have a lot of good young players who need somebody helping them.

“I’ve got one or two who can do that, like Sean Gregan, Andy Liddell and Mark Crossley, but he could help to do that job.”

Sheridan has already recruited three new midfielders in Danny Whitaker, Dale Stephens and Kieran Lee, who can also operate at full-back.

And Whitaker (27) took a starring role in last night’s friendly at Rhyl, where he found the net in Athletic’s 3-0 victory.

Sheridan added: “I knew all about Danny before I signed him. He takes care of the ball and is a neat and tidy player.

“We lost Gary McDonald (to Aberdeen) who gets goals from midfield, so we needed to replace him and Danny is a similar player.”

A handful of Athletic’s squad, including Gregan and Liddell, sat out the game last night as Sheridan was keen to look at the trialists who have linked up with pre-season training.

Among the new faces was teenage defender Craig Dawson, currently with Radcliffe Borough, but club officials don’t want to go public with all the names.

Striker Lee Hughes, who was at Rhyl, had only resumed training yesterday after recovering from a virus while Mark Crossley was excused for personal reasons.

But all four are expected to feature in Athletic’s next friendly which is away to Grimsby on Saturday (1pm kick-off) before they return to Boundary Park for games with Derby and Hull.