Double tonic for Athletic

Chris Taylor: Given the all-clear to play.

ATHLETIC have been given a double fitness lift as they prepare for tonight’s hastily-arranged friendly against Middlesbrough at Boundary Park (7.45).

Influential pair Dean Furman and Chris Taylor will both play after recovering from knocks.

Midfield man Furman has recovered from the foot injury sustained in training when it was initially feared he might have broken a bone.

Winger Taylor, meanwhile, has shaken off the ankle injury which he picked up in Saturday’s home friendly defeat against Sunderland.

Front-player Deane Smalley, however, will not feature as he has yet to fully recover from the groin strain sustained in the warm-up before the game at Bury.

Smalley, who is making good progress, may be ready for Saturday’s home game against Blackpool, the dress rehearsal to the new campaign.

Assistant manager Martin Gray is looking forward to tonight’s game which represents Athletic’s toughest pre-season challenge so far.

He said: “We took positive things from the second half against Sunderland and must build on them.

“You cannot legislate for the individual errors we made on Saturday, but I would rather those mistakes were made now rather than when the season starts.

“Middlesbrough, who were a Premier League side until May, will be a good test for us.

“I will be interested to see how we keep possession against the strongest side we have played so far.

“We must also defend from the front as we did in the second half against Sunderland.”

ATHLETIC (from): Brill, Holdsworth, Jacobson, Eardley, Lomax, Hazell, Gregan, Worthington, Furman, Whitaker, Taylor, Rowney, Abbott, Parker, O’Grady, Alessandra, Brooke, Steer, Ollerenshaw.

Middlesbrough have won all three friendlies so far and have yet to concede a goal, despite being forced to field makeshift sides against Macclesfield, Dumbarton and Carlisle which have yielded 10 goals.

Manager Gareth Southgate is without three foreign front men with Tuncay Sanli, Mido and Afonso Alves all set to leave the club.

Stewart Downing has been sold to Aston Villa while the injury list includes Chris Riggott, Emanuel Pogatetz, Didier Digard and Matthew Bates.

However, Southgate still plans to field a strong side.

BORO (probable): Jones, Hoyte, Wheater, Huth, Taylor, O’Neill, Arca, Yeates, Johnson, Emnes, Aliadiere. Subs: To be finalised.

Admission prices for tonight’s match are £10 for adults, £5 for pensioners and ages 12/16 years and £3 for under-12s.


ARSENAL defender Kolo Toure is close to a £15million move to Manchester City.

And the club is also reportedly set to make an improved offer to Everton for another central defender, Joleon Lescott.


ATHLETIC’S reserves fought back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at Stalybridge Celtic last night when two goals from Dale Stephens launched a storming second-half comeback by Lee Duxbury’s side.

The fightback was completed with a late strike from one of several triallists.

It’s another busy night for the club this evening as, apart from the first-team’s attractive home friendly with Middlesbrough, the club is sending a team to take on Ashton United (7.30) at Hurst Cross.

The senior side will wear their new-look navy blue/tangerine away kit for the first time against Boro.