Sheridan looks for follow-up

ATHLETIC may be in the pink tonight, but they are hoping Leeds United will be left red-faced in the live televised Coca-Cola League One fixture at Boundary Park.

John Sheridan is looking for his side to build on Saturday’s valuable victory at Millwall with a win against another of their promotion rivals.

The Athletic manager, whose side will be wearing a one-off pink kit to raise money for research into breast cancer, said: “It is a big game against another team pushing for the play-offs.

“I thought before Saturday we needed 21 more points to get into the play-offs. It was a great result against Millwall, a team trying to knock us out of the top six.

“What we have to aim for is to get to 75 points as quickly as possible. It is all about keeping on winning and staying in the top six.”

After Saturday’s excellent team performance, it looks likely Sheridan will field an unchanged starting line-up against Leeds.

Sheridan admits there will be some disappointed players and that he isn’t the flavour of the month.

He said: “Four players, who have been playing regularly, didn’t even make the bench at Millwall.

“I have a lot of players who are upset because I am not picking them, and I can understand that.”

Dean Windass, Stefan Stam, Kelvin Lomax and Danny Whitaker were the players who failed to land a place on the bench.

Sheridan admitted it was a gamble to make five changes for Saturday’s game, his response to the home midweek defeat by Bristol Rovers.

He said: “I don’t like making a lot of changes, but sometimes they work for you and it did at Millwall.”

ATHLETIC (probable): Fleming, Eardley, Jones, Hazell, Gregan, Smalley, Maher, Allott, Taylor, Hughes, Kabba. Subs (from): Budtz, Lomax, Golbourne, Hines, Stam, Liddell, Whitaker, Alessandra, Windass.

Leeds are back in the top six for the first time since before Christmas after Saturday’s 3-2 home victory against Scunthorpe.

But they have problems in midfield as Jonny Howson is banned following Saturday’s sending off and Andy Robinson is out with a hamstring strain.


ATHLETIC fans are reminded that entry is not permitted by payment at the turnstiles tonight.

They still have 1,500 tickets unsold.