Tribunal to rule on Stephens fee

ATHLETIC will discover on Monday the size of the transfer fee they will have to pay Bury for summer signing Dale Stephens.

The compensation figure for the 20-year-old midfield man is to be decided by a Football League tribunal in Manchester.

Athletic, who will be represented at the tribunal, have no inkling what amount of money they will have to stump up.

The only possible yardstick is that Bury recently received £100,000 following a tribunal judgement after striker Nicky Adams joined Leicester City. But, as Adams is far more experienced than Stephens, Athletic are hoping the transfer fee will be lower.

Bury, however, will be seeking the maximum amount of compensation for a player they rated very highly.

Stephens has yet to make a first-team appearance for Athletic, though he has been on the bench three times.

Athletic, meanwhile, are starting the build-up to Saturday’s visit of Huddersfield Town, one of their biggest games of the season.

Manager John Sheridan’s main dilemma is which player will replace central defender Sean Gregan as he starts a three-match ban after his sending off at Hartlepool.

New-boy Richie Byrne deputised on Saturday and it looks as though it will be between him and Stefan Stam for the place alongside Reuben Hazell.

Striker Lee Hughes, who played for an hour, is expected to be all right as he continues to receive treatment for a groin problem,

Hughes, who has scored five goals, has barely trained for the last three weeks.

Andy Liddell received a painful blow to his back in Saturday’s game, but he has made a speedy recovery from that knock.

Athletic reserves are in action tomorrow (7.0) when Stockport County visit Boundary Park.