Sheridan’s warning

I’ve got players waiting to come in, says manager John Sheridan.

Latics chief considers shake up

ATHLETIC manager John Sheridan is threatening changes to his team for the big local derby at Stockport on Friday night.

Sheridan was not upset with the weekend draw against Huddersfield — a result which kept Athletic top of League One — but he believes the time may have come to shake things up.

In particular, the battery of forwards who have been kept in reserve for most of this season could get a chance to shine.

That seems to put Lewis Alessandra under pressure ahead of the game at Edgeley Park, where Athletic will be backed by a sell-out away crowd.

Sheridan said: “I’ve got players waiting to come in and, as well as we’ve done so far, I might just surprise a few people at Stockport.

“Craig Davies has scored a hat-trick for the reserves and Chris O’Grady and Deane Smalley both want games, so we’ll have to see what happens.

“I might do something to give us a bit of freshness, and if it doesn’t happen this week it will happen very soon.

“I’ve got a big squad, a lot of players fighting for places, and I’ll throw one or two people in to keep everybody on their toes.”

Athletic made an enforced change against Huddersfield as Sean Gregan, their influential captain and defender, started a three-match ban.

Stefan Stam got the nod ahead of recent signing Richie Byrne and was handed his first league start of the campaign.

Sheridan went on: “We missed Sean Gregan’s leadership on the pitch and you could see Stammy hasn’t been playing much first-team football.

“It’s hard when you are thrown in at the deep end and he had a difficult time with (Huddersfield striker) Liam Dickinson, but that will make him stronger for the next game.

“I had a tough decision between Stammy and Richie and it was something which was on my mind all week.

“Richie is pushing me with his performances in the reserves, so he’s somebody else who’s ready to come in.”

Athletic’s allocation of 2,000 tickets for the Stockport clash has now sold out.

The Boundary Blues are running a trip to Edgeley Park, with coach travel and a match ticket costing £10 for members and £20 for parents and guardians. Bookings can be made in the club shop.

Athletic’s reserves play Bolton at Boundary Park tomorrow in the Manchester Senior Cup (7pm).