It’s a gamble

...but Latics are willing to revisit non-league transfer market
ATHLETIC are not afraid to return to the non-league transfer market this summer following the arrival of Solihull Moors hitman Matt Smith.

That is the verdict of chief executive Alan Hardy, who believes it is worth taking a punt on players who have excelled in the lower levels, but are an unknown quantity higher up the football pyramid.

Smith, who penned a two-year free transfer deal at Boundary Park, caught the eye of Athletic boss Paul Dickov after notching 23 goals in 27 Blue Square Bet North appearances last term during stints at Redditch United, Droylsden and Solihull.

Hardy said: “Obviously Paul has taken a gamble by bringing in a player from a non-league club, but Matt is an exciting talent who has scored a lot of goals.

“Sometimes signing lads from a lower level does work out. You only have to look at the likes of Charlie Austin at Burnley, and Peterborough’s Craig Mackail-Smith.

“They all started at the bottom. Clubs snapped them up and they have established themselves in league football.

“The manager won’t have a problem looking at non-league players again, depending on what materialises with his other transfer targets.”

If Smith comes anywhere near the standards set by Austin and Mackail-Smith, Athletic will not only have a good player on their hands, but also a valuable asset.

Austin, who joined Swindon from Poole Town, was sold on to Burnley for an undisclosed six-figure fee.

And if suitors are to prise away former Arlesey Town man Mackail-Smith from Peterborough, who face Huddersfield in the League One play-off final on Sunday, they will have to stump up a significant sum.

Hardy reckons landing Smith — who had attracted the attention of several other clubs — is testament to Athletic’s scouting network.

He added: “Our scouts are out and about watching matches all over the place and at different levels of football.”


ATHLETIC defender Carl Winchester was an unused substitute for Northern Ireland in last night’s 5-0 loss to Republic of Ireland in the Carling Nations Cup. Club team-mate Warren Feeney started up front, but was replaced by Liam Boyce after 73 minutes.