Class-act Neil’s promising start.
Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 14 January 2010
Latics reflections: With Athletic only managing to play out one fixture since Christmas due to the freezing conditions and heavy snowfall, we took the opportunity in a period of inactivity to look back through the Chronicle archives for details of match action from the past three decades.
NEIL REDFEARN signalled his intentions as Athletic narrowly failed to claim a point at Swindon Town 20 years ago.
The midfielder started the division two game on January 13, 1990, after signing from Watford for £150,000 but couldn’t quite manage to prevent his new employers from going down to a 3-2 defeat at the County Ground — a result which saw Swindon leapfrog their opponents into third place in the table.
According to the Chronicle match report from the game, Redfearn “showed he was not afraid to have a go” by peppering the Town goal with shots.
And it was a signing that went on to pay huge dividends the following year, when Redfearn earned himself legendary status by slotting home the penalty that clinched the division two championship against Sheffield Wednesday in May, 1991.
Athletic ended the 1989-90 season in eighth place, Leeds United gaining promotion to the old division one as champions.
But the season was a huge success overall, featuring the club’s first-ever Wembley appearance in the League Cup final against Nottingham Forest, which Athletic lost 1-0.
There was also the trifling matter of an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United, Athletic drawing the initial clash 3-3 after extra time before losing the replay 2-1.
Looking further back to 30 years ago, Athletic went down 4-2 at Sunderland in a division two game in which John Hurst was sent off for the first time in his career following a tussle in the centre circle with Barry Dunn.
Simon Stainrod had put Athletic ahead early on, but the home side took full advantage of their numerical advantage to go three goals clear before Paul Atkinson’s late consolation.
And Mark Allott was the hero of the hour 10 years ago, scoring twice as Athletic — featuring former manager John Sheridan alongside current reserves boss Lee Duxbury in midfield — saw off Brentford 3-0 in the then Nationwide League division two game. The other scorer for the home side was Andy Holt.
