Abbott agrees Latics deal

WELCOME ON BOARD: Manager Dave Penney greets Pawel Abbott.

ATHLETIC boosted their strikeforce today by signing Pawel Abbott on a two-year contract.

Speculation had been rife for weeks that the 27-year-old striker was a prime target for new boss Dave Penney - and so it proved.

The pair worked together at the manager’s former club, Darlington, who paid Swansea £100,000 for his services in January, 2007.

Abbott, born to a Polish mother and English father, had earlier made 105 league appearances for Huddersfield, scoring 44 goals and it was that record which prompted Swansea to fork out £150,000 for him. However, his stay with the Swans lasted only six months.

Abbott’s league career kicked off at Preston and he later had loan spells at Bury (twice) and Huddersfield.

His career record now stands at 77 league goals in 213 appearances.

Athletic are hoping to add at least two more new faces to the squad before pre-season training kicks off on Monday.

One player arrived for talks yesterday, agreed terms and passed a medical but then asked for time to consider his options as he is wanted by other clubs, including a Championship side.

Athletic, who have not given up hope of completing that deal, were quietly confident that at least one more would go ahead over the weekend.

After releasing nine senior players at the end of last season, new boss Dave Penney has been busy trying to reshape the squad.

So far he has brought in the versatile Rob Purdie (ex-Darlington), midfield man Jon Worthington (ex-Huddersfield) and Wales left-back Joe Jacobson (ex-Bristol Rovers).

On top of those, experienced centre-back Sean Gregan agreed a one-year deal to return to the club, six weeks after being released due to financial constraints.

All the players are due back in training next week and will face a varied schedule in the build-up to the new season. Apart from the usual hard slog of running and general fitness work, they will have swimming and boxing sessions.