Latics target City full-back

RYAN McGivern is being lined up for a switch to Boundary Park as Athletic again look towards their Northern Ireland connections.
The Newry-born left-back is a full international for his home country and has so far collected 11 caps against the likes of Chile, Italy and Scotland.

A Manchester City player, the 20-year-old McGivern is described as a player with plenty of potential who turned out 14 times while on loan at Championship club Leicester City last season.

He was brought there thanks to the influence of Steve Beaglehole, the boss of Northern Ireland’s Under-19 and Under-21 sides who is also in charge of the academy set-up at the Walkers Stadium.

Athletic assistant boss Gerry Taggart also knows all about the qualities of the youngster, having watched him first-hand while operating as reserve-team boss at Leicester.

And manager Paul Dickov — who placed left-back Joe Jacobson on the transfer list earlier this week — will use his contacts at Eastlands in order to persuade the Premier League club to let McGivern join on an extended loan basis.

As well as Taggart, other Athletic connections to Northern Ireland comprise rookie wingers Phil McGrath and Kirk Millar plus new scholars Ryan Burns and Carl Winchester.

New signing Warren Feeney is another name to add to that list.

The former Stockport striker has five goals in 34 caps to his name, and will make his debut against Falkirk at Northwich Victoria tomorrow (3pm).

Other than a brief, unhappy one-game stint with Sheffield Wednesday that lasted all of 13 minutes, Feeney cut a frustrated figure at Cardiff last season.

“I have played over 300 games but I want to get back to where I was when I was up at Dundee United the season before last, when I scored six goals on loan,” Feeney said.

“I played week-in, week-out, carried my form on to Northern Ireland and more or less cemented my place there.

“I was busting to get out on loan last year at Cardiff but unfortunately the gaffer wouldn’t let me. It was one of those things and I just had to get on with it.

“I am starting with a clean slate here and know the area from my time with Stockport, so I am looking forward to it.”

Athletic squad: Brill, Fleming, Odebanjo, Lee, Hazell, Jarrett, MacDonald, Black, Lomax, Miller, Alessandra, Stephens, Worthington, Jones, Furman, Taylor, Colbeck, Abbott, Eaves, Feeney, Brooke.