Latics midfielder in loan link

JON Worthington, among a number of players on the transfer list, has not played a single first-team game this season

Worthington on Stevenage radar
OUT-OF-FAVOUR Athletic midfielder Jon Worthington could be on his way out of the club before the loan deadline expires.

Newly-promoted npower League Two outfit Stevenage FC have been linked with a temporary swoop for the transfer-listed 27-year-old, who hasn’t made a single appearance for the first team this season.

The Hertfordshire club, who dropped the ‘Borough’ suffix following ascension from the Conference National, have acquitted themselves well so far this term and are currently just outside the play-off places.

It is believed manager Graham Westley is looking to bolster his midfield and that Worthington fits the bill.

If a deal can be done sooner rather than later — the emergency loan deadline is next Thursday, November 25 — it could assist Athletic boss Paul Dickov in creating room within the budget for new signings.

Currently, the club has seven players out on loan.

Rob Purdie is at League Two side Hereford, Deane Smalley and Kelvin Lomax are both at Chesterfield in the same division and former captain Sean Gregan is currently playing for Fleetwood Town in the Conference National. All those deals last until January.

In addition, Rod McDonald is at Stafford — his one-month deal expires next week, though it could be extended — fellow centre-back Ferenc Fodor is in the third and final month of his spell at Northwich Victoria, and ’keeper Josh Ollerenshaw is playing for local side Mossley.


MANCHESTER City provide the carrot as Athletic’s youth team square off against Sheffield Wednesday in the second round of the FA Youth Cup at Boundary Park tonight (7pm kick-off).
The two sides are battling for a home draw in the next stage against the Premier League giants and Athletic supremo Tony Philliskirk is able to call on the same 16-man squad which saw off Bury 5-2 in the opening round of the competition.

Goalkeeper Dale Connor and midfielder Alex Parkes have recovered from illness to line up against a Wednesday outfit who got to this stage by defeating Rotherham 3-2 away from home.

Admission for the game is priced at £4 adults and £2 concessions.

Athletic (from): Routledge, Matty D Carr, Tarkowski, Kidd, Matty A Carr, Hughes, Crompton, Connor, Winchester, Parkes, Mellor, Bell, Fitzgerald, Burns, Laird, Riley.