Baptism of fire for Latics’ young guns

MARTIN GRAY

PARK LIFE: MARTIN GRAY believes that while Athletic have toiled against some of the best sides in League One, the experience it has given to the younger elements of the squad could prove to be invaluable.

Including substitutes, no less than NINE of the 14 who played in Saturday’s 2-0 home win against Exeter at Boundary Park are currently aged 23 or under.

That statistic serves to illustrate just how tough assistant boss Gray and the rest of the coaching team have had it recently, with a huge portion of Athletic's accumulated League One know-how sidelined through injury.

"It has been difficult," said Gray, who followed manager Dave Penney and goalkeeping coach Andy Collett to Boundary Park after leaving Darlington.

"Our hands have been tied because the transfer window is closed and, with no disrespect, all our key players apart from Sean Gregan are out of the team.

"Any team that has that amount of players out at once when the transfer window is closed is going to find it tough.

"We have found it that way in terms of not being able to field our strongest 11.

"But, on the back of that, the players who have come in have done themselves the power of good.

"Paul Black has come in and been faultless for the two-and-a-half games he has played in.
“Joe Jacobson has come back after being out for a long time and has looked fine alongside Sean in the past two games.

"Dale Stephens has come in and held his own and done very, very well.

"There have been plusses to come out of the situation.

"That is the bigger picture. It is just frustrating in that, ideally, you would like to put these players alongside more experienced ones.

"It hasn't been that way. But once the senior men do come back — Chris Taylor, Reuben Hazell, Pawel Abbott — hopefully the young players will have learned from it to help them through their games in the future."

Gray insists Athletic are heading to Wycombe this weekend full of belief about the chances of picking up an away victory against a team currently sitting third-from-bottom of Coca-Cola League One.

However, he also warns that Garry Waddock's side will be fighting for their lives for the points, not to mention confident of getting them after a run of three wins in five games.

"There is never an easy game," Gray said. "Wycombe beat Millwall 3-0 four weeks ago, away from home. They are definitely not to be taken lightly.

"It is good that we are going into the game with a win behind us, which we desperately needed.

"We can go down there and be positive and we are going there to get three points.”

Penney's right-hand man echoed his manager's sentiments in his most recent programme notes, praising the positive influence of Athletic's travelling band of supporters, particularly at Norwich two weeks ago.

"The Exeter win was for everybody at the football club including the fans, who stuck by us and showed great, great support in some very difficult circumstances," added Gray.

"The support from the fans all along has been fabulous. You go to Norwich and you see the attendance from the Oldham fans and from a player's point of view and as a coach it is great. It lifts you and it shows that they are with you.

"We are working hard on our side of it, to try to get players back who will in turn give them more success to shout about.

"We have very high standards from Monday to Friday and the players have bought into that from day one.

"Long may it continue. Everyone has got on with it and there has been nobody feeling sorry for themselves. It has been really positive."