Penney in plea to fans

Latics boss wants positive atmosphere

ATHLETIC manager Dave Penney wants fans to act as a 12th man against Gillingham at Boundary Park tomorrow.

Squeezing out a win has never been more important this season, as the visitors are also embroiled in a nip-and-tuck battle against the drop to Coca-Cola League Two.

With Athletic coming up against a set of tricky fixtures this month — after Gillingham it is Huddersfield Town away on Tuesday night — Penney is seeking the comfort of three points.

And though he says criticism doesn’t have an effect on him personally, Penney believes that positive vibes will help his team.

“When things are going well here at Boundary Park it is a good atmosphere,” said Penney, who is seeking a sixth home victory of the season against a Gills side without an away win in the league.

“When we go behind, it isn’t so good.

“It isn’t nice and we would like to be all pulling in the same direction. You go to, say, Exeter and everyone is singing off the same hymn sheet.

“It is important we create a positive atmosphere here and that will filter through to the players.

“As for me, I can’t affect the game by running about or tackling or shooting.

“But the better the atmosphere, obviously the better it is for all of us.”

On organising his team against a physical Gillingham outfit, Penney is more concerned with Athletic setting out their own attacking stall than anything else as the team bids to bounce back from a midweek defeat.

“It is about what we do and we worry about ourselves,” he added.

“Once we got it out wide to Chris Taylor early against Brentford, he had his best game for a long time. He was a real threat.

“Kirk Millar came in on the other side and did ever so well.

“We need to get it wide, get in behind them and get some balls into the box.”

Athletic again line up without Dean Furman, who serves the second game of his two-match ban.

Jim Goodwin (thigh) remains on the treatment table, and Joe Jacobson (groin and hip) also misses out.

Injured Blackpool striker Daniel Nardiello’s loan spell with the club has been cancelled, as expected.

Gillingham are unbeaten in their last four games and have picked up draws at Charlton and Stockport away from home in that sequence.

Defender Simon King has been ruled out, but there could be a return Simeon Jackson, who has 14 league goals to his name this season.

Athletic (from): Flahavan, Lee, Hazell, Gregan, Lomax, Millar, Worthington, Stephens, Taylor, Guy, Abbott, Brill, Black, Whitaker, Marrow, Colbeck, Smalley, Eaves, Brooke.