Latics wait on Morais reply

Winger yet to sign contract

ATHLETIC’S chances of landing Filipe Morais on a permanent basis appear to hang in the balance.

A permanent contract was offered to the Portuguese winger through his agent two weeks ago in the hope that the player will elect to remain at Boundary Park.

But the club confirmed today that the 25-year-old, who showed flashes of brilliance against Huddersfield Town on his only start for Athletic so far, has not yet committed himself.

“Nothing has been agreed on a contract at present,” said Athletic chief executive Alan Hardy. “We are waiting for his agent to come back to us.”

Morais is still training with Athletic and is with the club on a non-contract basis.

A former Chelsea trainee who speaks with a strong London accent, the player has just served a three-match ban for a sending-off for violent conduct in Athletic’s reserves.

Manager Paul Dickov is likely to bring him back into the fold for the npower League One home test against Swindon Town at Boundary Park on Saturday.

Ritchie Jones — rated as a 50-50 chance of making the postponed match at Walsall — should also be fit to make that squad.

Swindon saw off play-off contenders Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at the County Ground on Saturday and host Crawley in an FA Cup second round replay tomorrow night.

The Robins have won only once away from home all season, picking up three points at struggling Walsall in September.

Athletic are “hopeful” that the game will go ahead as planned.

A covering of snow is currently protecting the Boundary Park pitch from frost. Temperatures are due to rise slightly towards the end of this week and officials are also concentrating on trying to clear turnstiles, seats, gangways and surrounding areas of the ground of ice and snow.

Athletic’s players were back in for another indoor session on an artificial surface today, having had the weekend off following a strenuous workout on Friday.


ATHLETIC’S FA Youth Cup third- round tie at home to Manchester City has been postponed due to frost.
The game now has a new date of Wednesday, December 15 (7pm kick-off) at Boundary Park.