Latics look to act fast

ALAN HARDY - looking to offload players in transfer window

ATHLETIC are stepping up their bid to ship out unwanted players, following the club’s financially crippling FA Cup exit.

The shock 3-2 defeat at Accrington Stanley in the first round saw Athletic miss out on vital revenue in the form of prize money, improved attendances and potential television coverage.

Chief executive Alan Hardy (pictured inset), who labelled the result “a disaster”, admitted the Boundary Park outfit urgently need to slash the wage bill.

Greg Fleming, Joe Jacobson, Kelvin Lomax, Rob Purdie and Jon Worthington are all on the transfer list.

He said: “There is now more focus on sorting out moves for players who have not been anywhere near the first team.

“We have got to hope that when January comes along, we will receive some offers.

“However, November 25 is the deadline day for players to go out on emergency loans until January, so hopefully we can move a couple of people on to other clubs at that point.”

That option does not apply to Purdie, who is on loan at Hereford United until January, and Lomax, who along with Deane Smalley, will spend the next three months at Chesterfield.

But Athletic will accelerate their attempts to move Fleming, Jacobson and Worthington towards the exit door, and anyone else who falls out of the first-team picture.

With competition for places hotting up following the arrival of Cedric Evina and Felipe Morais, Paul Dickov’s men are sure to be kept on their toes.

Hardy added: “The board meets once a month and the financial situation will be discussed at the next one, which takes place in two weeks’ time. It will not be brought forward.

“We will be looking at ways to tighten the budget, which will obviously be hard.”

Meanwhile, Warren Feeney has been called up to the Northern Ireland squad for the friendly against Morocco at Windsor Park on Wednesday, November 17.

Athletic reserves faced Shrewsbury Town at Stalybridge Celtic today (2pm kick-off).

Squad: Fleming, Jacobson, Kidd, Worthington, Matty D Carr, Tarkowski, Burns, Matty A Carr, Alessandra, Brooke, Millar, Hughes, Routledge, Brown, Parkes, Riley, Mellor.