Latics step up Windass bid

DEAN WINDASS: Travelling considerations.

ATHLETIC are emerging favourites to land a loan deal for veteran Hull City striker Dean Windass.

Tigers manager Phil Brown has revealed that the 39-year-old Windass is in talks with Athletic, tomorrow’s Boundary Park opponents Hartlepool and Blackpool.

After recent denials, Athletic today confirmed they have spoken to Hull and, as Windass still lives in West Yorkshire, he is said to favour a move to Boundary Park as that would entail the least travelling.

Sheridan is vowing to go for all-out attack when promotion-chasing Athletic play hosts to Hartlepool United.

The Athletic chief is also predicting there could be “one or two shocks” in his starting line-up for the Coca-Cola League One clash.

Though Athletic are unbeaten in the league since early November, Sheridan is worried that their promotion bid is in danger of being derailed by too many draws - five of the last six games have ended in stalemate.

Sheridan said: “We are a decent side as we have proved by being unbeaten for the last nine league games.

“Earlier in the season we were creating lots of opportunities and scoring plenty of goals, but we haven’t been doing that recently. That is something we need to get back to.

“We definitely have the players attacking-wise who can create problems for other teams, which is what we will be trying to do by going for all-out attack.”

Sheridan has one enforced change as Mark Allott sits out the game due to a one-match ban having collected five yellow cards.

That will bring about a reshuffle in midfield where Kevin Maher and Danny Whitaker are likely to be the central pairing.

If Sheridan is looking for more of a cutting edge there could be recalls for the likes of Kieran Lee and Deane Smalley.

Sheridan is uncertain whether it is a good time to be playing Hartlepool, who last Saturday defeated Premier League side Stoke City in the FA Cup.

Sheridan said: “Hartlepool were beaten 4-1 at home by Crewe in the league and must have been on a downer. But days later they defeated Stoke.

“They will come here on a high, though they know they will be in for a hard game when they return to the bread and butter of the league.

“They are in the bottom half of the table and need in of points so we will have to make sure we don’t slip up again.”

ATHLETIC (from): Fleming, Eardley, Lomax, Hazell, Gregan, Stam, Lee, Liddell, Smalley, Maher, Whitaker, Stephens, Taylor, Hughes, Byfield, Davies, Alessandra, Bell.

Hartlepool have injury troubles as 13-goal leading scorer Joel Porter is struggling with a thigh strain and Achilles problem while fellow striker Michael Mackey and right-back Tony Sweeney are also worries.


Match referee to inspect pitch
ATHLETIC are optimistic that tomorrow’s home game against Hartlepool will beat the freeze.

There has been a marked improvement in the Boundary Park pitch in the last 24 hours as the thaw sets in.

Match referee Carl Boyeson was due to travel over from his home in Hull this afternoon to inspect the pitch.

Chief executive Alan Hardy explained that certain areas are still frozen, but said steps are being taken in a bid to play the match. Heaters are being hired in an attempt to thaw out the problem spots.

If the referee decides there is chance of the game going ahead, the pitch will be covered before dark to ensure some degree of protection as there is a frost forecast for tonight.

Athletic are in discussions with the Football League over a new date in the event of the match being postponed.

As temperatures are to set rise markedly over the weekend, Athletic offered Sunday, Monday or Tuesday so the fixture could be quickly fulfilled, but Hartlepool have rejected a quick rescheduling.

Athletic are asking fans to check their website for regular updates.