Hazell set for Latics return
Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 05 May 2010
REUBEN Hazell missed the 3-0 defeat at Yeovil after taking a bang on the hip.
ATHLETIC are crossing their fingers that Reuben Hazell will be fit to slot back into the side for the final game of the season.
Charlton Athletic visit Boundary Park on Saturday and are expected to bring with them an army of supporters as they bid to claim the second automatic promotion spot in Coca-Cola League One.
Captain Sean Gregan was paired with Hasney Aljofree as Athletic suffered a 3-0 defeat at Yeovil.
But Aljofree, who made his second ‘debut’ for the club since signing a three-month deal after leaving Swindon, cannot play this weekend as his contract with the club has expired.
In order to be eligible, the club would need to sign the 31-year-old on a minimum one-month basis and with little riding on the game from Athletic’s point of view, that is unlikely to happen.
Hazell, though, who missed the trip to Huish Park after taking a knock on his hip in training, has recovered well and is in line to renew his solid partnership with player-of-the-season Gregan.
Another player who didn’t show at Yeovil, Deane Smalley, could be involved after recovering from a chest infection, while Dean Furman has had a second injection in a bid to settle down a knee problem and may also be in the squad.
Meanwhile, Athletic manager Dave Penney expects to to discover next week what playing budget he will be entrusted with for the 2010-11 season.
Chief executive Alan Hardy has already warned that cuts are in the offing following a season of disappointing attendances, while players seeking to renew deals with the club will be offered reduced terms.
“I will sit down with the owners and they will let us know what the budget will be for next season,” Penney said.
“Then we can start putting offers out to players and decide who we are going to keep and who will move on.
“And we will try to get a team that is better than this season.
“We know all the players who are out of contract but whether we can afford them is a different matter.”
