Penney keen to add experience

Nick Blackman: Dropped down the pecking order at Boundary Park.

DAVE Penney will set his sights on adding League One know-how to his squad when the transfer window reopens in the New Year.

The Athletic boss has been forced into fielding a series of very young line-ups in recent weeks due to an injury crisis which shows little sign of abating.

At Wycombe on Saturday, Penney was without a total of 10 first-team players through injury and illness — Joe Jacobson, Jon Worthington, Andy Holdsworth, Pawel Abbott, Rob Purdie, Kelvin Lomax, Lewis Alessandra, Keigan Parker, Chris Taylor and Paul Black — and could only fill six of the seven available substitute places.

Defensive positions in particular are a big concern at present, with four of the above players operating at the back. In addition, centre-half Reuben Hazell is suspended for the forthcoming Boxing Day clash against Tranmere.

“Every manager is looking round to see what they can change, what they can do and we are no different,” said Penney, who will have his squad in for training on Christmas Day.

“We will look at what is out there and with the injuries we have got, we need to try and bolster our squad in terms of adding experience, if we can.”

Penney will be forced into making choices regarding his strikers come the opening of the window on January 1.

By that point, striker Paul Heffernan’s one-month loan spell from Doncaster will have expired, as will Nick Blackman’s extended loan deal from Blackburn.

While Penney could request a renewal of the Heffernan loan arrangement, it is unlikely that Blackman will be retained having slipped behind Ryan Brooke in the pecking order at Boundary Park. Also added to the mix is the imminent return of six-goal top scorer Pawel Abbott.

After the Hartlepool United game on Monday, Athletic benefit from an 11-day break from the action due to the postponement of the away game at Swindon Town.

Originally down to be played out on Saturday, January 2, the game has been moved to Tuesday, February 9 as a result of the Robins’ continued involvement in the FA Cup.

Athletic’s next fixture after the trip to Victoria Park is the home game against Leyton Orient at Boundary Park on Saturday, January 9.