Fleming goes out on loan

GREG FLEMING: On loan to gain experience. Dunfermline take Latics ’keeper

GOALKEEPER Greg Fleming has left Athletic on a season-long loan to Dunfermline Athletic.

The move followed an enquiry from the Scottish Division One side to Athletic about the availability of the 22-year-old Edinburgh-born player.

Fleming, who last season made 21 first-team appearances, has agreed to the switch, though there is a clause which states he can be recalled in the January transfer window.

Manager Dave Penney believes Athletic and Fleming will both benefit from the move.

He explained: “I have had a chat with Greg who knows he would be in a battle for the No 1 spot and not guaranteed a regular place.

“He is still a relatively inexperienced ‘keeper having not played many more than 40 games in total for Gretna and ourselves.

“I am hoping the deal will benefit all parties as, hopefully, Greg will play the whole season, which he needs to do if he is to develop so when he returns he will be a better ‘keeper.”

Fleming still has two seasons left on his contract at Boundary Park and Penney stresses he still has a future at the club.

“We will be looking at the videos of Dunfermline’s matches and our goalkeeping coach Andy Collett will also be going to watch him live whenever he can,” he continued.

Penney explained that Dunfermline were alerted about Fleming’s possible availability when Athletic captured Dean Brill from Luton Town.

The Athletic manager added he has to decide what to do about goalkeeping back-up, saying first-year professional Josh Ollerenshaw has shown up well pre-season.

“There is no hurry to bring in anybody and depending how Josh does I might go with him on the bench when the season starts, said Penney.”

In the event of Brill being injured, Athletic would still have the option of signing a keeper on an emergency loan as they did last season when they brought in Jan Budtz and Shane Supple.

Athletic, acting on police advice, have allocated Stockport County the large 3,000 capacity section of the Leesfield Developments Rochdale Road Stand for their opening league game of the campaign on Saturday, August 8.

It is a repeat of last season so Athletic season-ticket holders will have to relocate to either the small adjoining section or switch to another part of the ground before the day of the game.

They are requested to bring their season tickets for each seat so the applicable voucher can be removed.