Blitz confident despite cuts

CHAIRMAN Simon Blitz believes Athletic can mount a promotion challenge in Coca-Cola League One despite being forced to cut their playing budget.

Although admitting these are challenging times, Mr Blitz offers an upbeat message for the 2009/10 campaign.

Mr Blitz said: “Considering the budget he has been given, the manager (Dave Penney) has put together a very good team. I would not be surprised to see us in the top eight.”

Mr Blitz warned that Athletic will again post an operating loss for the coming campaign, with the owners having to continue to subsidise football at Boundary park.

He said: “We are still losing money but, in theory, the club is debt free. We still own our own ground and are in a better position, financially, than most other clubs.

“The playing budget for this season will make us competitive without throwing our bank balance to the wolves.”

Mr Blitz says it is a case of striking the right balance - fielding a team which fans will come to watch at a price they will pay and a cost which will not bankrupt the club.

He added that Athletic have achieved stability in the seven years since he, Simon Corney and Danny Gazal took the club out of administration as it teetered on the brink of folding.

Mr Blitz added that he has been impressed with the initial impact Penney has made as manager. And he revealed he met Penney three times in the space of four days during the manager’s recent trip to New York when they discussed plans for the next two or three years.


OUT-of-contract striker Lee Hughes suddenly finds himself in demand.

Championship clubs Doncaster Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday are being linked with the 33-year-old, who has also emerged as a target for League One rivals Walsall.

Ambitious League Two side Notts County, who are about to be taken over by wealthy backers from the Middle East, have also not given up hopes of signing Hughes, who is currently training with former club Kidderminster Harriers.