Dismal end to Sheridan’s reign

Lee Hughes Celebrates his 18th goal of the season — but the celebration was short-lived

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MK Dons 6, Oldham 2
JOHN SHERIDAN cut a forlorn figure in the technical area at Milton Keynes Dons, where his body language during Saturday’s hefty Coca-Cola League One defeat was that of a broken man.

Less than 24 hours later and the Athletic manager had lost his job. He had paid the price for his team’s nosedive in form.

Athletic can kiss goodbye to any thoughts of the play-offs on the evidence of Saturday’s damaging defeat. It is up to Joe Royle to pick up the pieces.

The second-half capitulation at stadiummk provided further evidence that a season which kicked off so full of hope and promise could end on a disappointing note.

Athletic have slipped out of the top six, with only two wins and 10 points from their last 10 league matches.

And despite Sheridan, before his departure, maintaining there was unity and togetherness in his squad, there was little evidence of that in Bedfordshire.

Sheridan was unable to offer an explanation for another insipid performance.

It appeared an easy cop-out for Sheridan to blame the media for adverse publicity rather than looking at his own failings.

While the likes of Leeds and Tranmere are building a momentum for the run in, Athletic are on the slide and they look a millions miles away from challenging for promotion.

Jan Budtz returned in goal for the injured Greg Fleming, Seb Hines was brought in for the suspended Reuben Hazell in the centre of defence and Chris Taylor returned to the left wing after recovering from injury. Deane Smalley switched to the right and Andy Liddell stepped down to the bench.

Athletic’s defensive work was slipshod, haphazard call it what you may as MK Dons ended a run of four successive draws in the league with this emphatic victory.

Yet Athletic could not have wished for a better start after Maher fired them ahead in the fourth minute when his free kick left ’keeper Willy Gueret rooted to the spot.

There was an element of fortune about the free-kick award as referee Graham Scott appeared to be the only person to spot a tug on the short of Steven Kabba.

MK Dons came back strongly as Aaron Wilbraham put Sam Baldock through on goal only for his shot to strike the inside of an upright and bounce back into the arms of the grateful Budtz.

But it took the home side until the 33rd minute to get back on level terms when Wilbraham, who had a loan spell with Athletic in 2004/05, struck his 14th goal of the campaign.

Wilbraham was played in by Baldock and, and capitalising on indecision by Seb Hines and Budtz, squeezed home a shot from the tightest of angles.

Athletic regained the lead seven minutes later as Lee Hughes silenced the home fans who moments earlier been taunting the striker. When will opposition supporters ever learn as it only inspires and motivates Athletic’s top scorer?

The goal followed a move of great quality. Maher picked out Daniel Jones on an overlap on the left and from his brilliant cross to the far post, Hughes stooped to head into the roof of the net.

The Dons quickly made it 2-2 through a spectacular strike from Jason Puncheon.

Budtz came out of his area to head the ball clear but had the misfortune of seeing it fall to the winger, who coolly found the net with a well-executed lob from about 40 yards.

It was all downhill for Athletic from that point.

In a dismal second period, Athletic conceded four goals as their back line was sliced open time and again.

Baldock scored twice in the space of five minutes — two super cool clinical finishes — as Athletic found themselves 4-2 down just short of the hour mark.

Alan Navarro struck a long-range effort for the fifth which went in off the upright and then in stoppage time substitute Ali Gerba, who recently scored for Canada against Sven Goran Eriksson’s Mexico, completed Athletic’s misery.

As the final whistle sounded, one had a feeling Sheridan was living on borrowed time.

Sheridan’s time was, in fact, up as Athletic manager.




‘No heart, no fight, no spirit’

ATHLETIC fans travelling home by train from Milton Keynes were unanimous in their calls for manager John Sheridan to be sacked.

They got their wish less than 24 hours later.

Tax adviser Ray Goulding (58), from Shaw, said: “The performance was dismal and I am not happy.

“It is evident there are a lot of problems in the club and I think we have been in a false position. We do not look like a top-six team.

“In my lifetime I have seen four promotion teams, but this doesn’t look like one.

“The manager has been given every chance, but he has made a lot of mistakes and bad decisions with signings.

“He has bought players and then sends them out on loan. He also signed players on loan who are no better than the ones we have here already. The likes of Lewis Alessandra and Kelvin Lomax have been pushed back.

“He was a great player and that is why I think the fans have not been on his back until now.

“You cannot criticise the owners because they have put in a lot of money into the club and backed Sheridan during his three years as manager.”

Failsworth’s Mike Hukin (36), an account executive for Coca-Cola, described the defeat at stadiummk as “embarrassing”.

He said: “The day has cost me £100 and I walked out when the score was 4-2. There was no heart, no fight and no spirit in the side. There is a lack of leadership from the manager.

“I only wish the players were sitting here with us to listen to the people who pay their wages. They were rubbish and don’t share the passion of the fans.

“We were romping this division after 10 games, but Sheridan has brought in too many loan players and they have disrupted the team and, on the whole, they have been awful.

“Alessandra scored a hat-trick against Scunthorpe and not long after was dropped when he should have been given a run in the side. I can see traits of Michael Owen in his play.”

Delivery driver Mike Whitehead (32). from Ashton, believes it would have been better to give Alessandra an extended run rather than bring in loan players like Darren Byfield, Brett Ormerod, Dean Windass and Steven Kabba.

“Sheridan brought in mainly old players on loan at the expense of our youngsters. Daniel Jones is the only decent player he brought in on loan,” said Whitehead, who believed it was time for a change at the top.

Gatley-based Neil Tague (32), assistant editor of North-West Business Insider, thought Sheridan did not attract the right players.

He went on: “As Sheridan was a top midfielder, I find it ironic we don’t have a proper midfield.

“The only top midfielder we have had in the last four years was Richie Wellens. who was not replaced when he left.”

Pictures by ANDREW SCHOFIELD