Crowd rise welcomed

LATICS fans give their team vocal support.

ATHLETIC’S biggest crowd of the season has been described as a “pleasing step in the right direction” by co-owner Simon Corney.

Mr Corney, who criticised stay-away fans last month, was encouraged by the gate of 7,418 against Huddersfield.

The number included nearly 1,600 away supporters, but that still gave Athletic over 5,800 in the home sections – a significant rise on previous games.

Mr Corney said: “It’s satisfying that we pretty much hit 6,000 home fans, and we’ll be more than happy if those people come back every week.

“Obviously it was an attractive game on paper and I wouldn’t say the turn-out was amazing, but it was a pleasing step in the right direction.

“It looks as though people are responding to our progress on the pitch.

“It would have been nice to give everyone three more points to celebrate, but you’ve got to say things are going well.

“Hopefully those extra fans will stick with us. We’d love to add them to our loyal hard core of supporters.”

Athletic need an average gate of 7,500 to break even, although Mr Corney and his fellow owners, Simon Blitz and Danny Gazal, usually budget for 6,000.

After four matches, the average league crowd at Boundary Park this term is 5,747.


THE Boundary Park youth team lost their 100-per-cent record when they travelled to Carlisle United.

Will McCall scored for Athletic, but coach Tony Philliskirk had no complaints after a bigger and older Carlisle side emerged as 2-1 winners.

McCall and goalkeeper Josh Ollerenshaw did well for Athletic, who conceded the decisive goal 20 minutes from time.


GOALKEEPER Ran Kadoch was a surprise name on Athletic’s list of pre-season trialists as he came from an obscure club in the Israeli third division.

Kadoch failed to win a contract at Boundary Park, but he did manage to earn his place in English football and has transferred from Nes Ziona to League Two club Barnet.