Just call him number one

Chris Taylor, receiving rave reviews at present

ANDY LIDDELL has hailed Athletic team-mate Chris Taylor as the best player in League One.

There is a widespread belief that Athletic will struggle to keep hold of their prize asset during the January transfer window, and Liddell believes the 21-year-old winger has now come of age.

Taylor – being watched by a whole host of clubs from the Championship and Premier League – is Athletic’s eight-goal leading marksman.

And Liddell said: “I haven’t seen a better player in League One because Chris is scoring with his head, scoring with his feet and providing chances for others.

“We are lucky to have him and he’s playing out of his skin. If there’s somebody better, I haven’t seen him.

“Chris was a young lad when I first joined Oldham (in 2005) and it was the season when he got his breakthrough.

“He improved and last season he was good, but now he has progressed again and he’s a totally different player.

“He’s a fantastic player who goes both ways, beats defenders and works hard for the team, and one of his best assets is that he buys time.

“He runs and runs and runs and will definitely play at a higher level, hopefully with Oldham. Whether he reaches the top division is up to him.”

Athletic boss John Sheridan has already admitted that Taylor is consistently impressing opposition managers.

Sheridan stressed he does not want to lose the Oldham-born star but, as always, Boundary Park finances may dictate otherwise.

Taylor’s next target is to help Athletic break down Walsall, who come to Boundary Park tonight with a familiar face in their ranks.

Athletic discarded Michael Ricketts less than three months into last season and Sheridan was reluctant to explain his reasons – but it’s well known that Ricketts was not a popular figure.

He joined Walsall on loan, then permanently, and is now their top scorer with eight goals so far this term.

The striker, capped once by England under Sven-Goran Eriksson, scored against Athletic on his return last December.

There was never much doubting his basic talent, and former colleague Liddell warned of a difficult ride ahead.

Liddell explained: “Michael has frightening ability and is definitely going to be one of Walsall’s main threats.

“You don’t play for England if you’re a mug, so he’s a player we’ll have to watch carefully.

“Walsall are going to be like every other team in this division – they will be strong, athletic and make life hard for us.

“Our last home game in the cup against Cheltenham was very disappointing, but you’ve got to remember we are having a very good season.

“Apart from Oldham, all the clubs at the top of the league have got big finance and big crowds, so we are doing well to stick with them.

“It’s all relative to the size of club, but we’re only one point behind the club I support, Leeds United, and you can’t really compare us financially.

“There have been ups and downs, but we’re having a fantastic season and if we keep making chances for the strikers we’ll keep winning games.

“Going out of the cup last week obviously cost us money, but the owners will get it back when they sell Chris Taylor for £2million!”

Walsall lost 3-0 at home to MK Dons on Saturday, but their previous result was a 2-0 victory at Colchester.

They have conceded just nine away goals – and Stockport are the only team in League One who can top that record.