Fears over scholars’ tiredness

THE SMALL squad being operated by Athletic is having a serious knock-on effect, with some youngsters at the club said to be showing signs of fatigue — less than three weeks into the new season.

A severely reduced budget for 2010-11 has seen manager Paul Dickov slash his first-team squad in terms of numbers, leaving big gaps to fill in terms of the club's reserves matches.

On Monday afternoon, Athletic's second string lost 3-2 to Macclesfield at Chapel Road.

And the difficulties faced by reserves boss Lee Duxbury in naming a side were perfectly shown by the inclusion of central midfielder Jack Poxon — a first-year scholar from Chadderton who was named in the starting line-up as a result of his impressing as a substitute for the youth team two days earlier.

"First-year scholars who were at school two or three months ago are starting reserve games and it is an unprecedented situation," said Athletic's head of youth Tony Philliskirk.

"One the one hand, it is great experience for them — but some of them are simply not ready for it. In my opinion it is too much, too soon.

"It also means us having to start schoolboys, who are still in their pre-season, in the under-18s."

Athletic could only name four substitutes, all first-years, against Macclesfield.

Chris Sutherland, a winger from Middleton, is another player fresh from school who began that game for Athletic.

As with Poxon, he turned at the weekend for the under-18s in a disappointing 2-1 loss at Morecambe in the first away game of the Football League Youth Alliance Northern Conference season.

Two down inside the opening 15 minutes, Philliskirk was forced to make two tactical substitutions in the first half to introduce schoolboy pair Josh Matthew and Kyle Hardman.

Missing a host of good scoring chances, Athletic pulled a goal back when Kyle Riley finished well after exchanging passes with Ryan Burns, but couldn't force an equaliser.

With a host of schoolboys set to be pressed into action, Athletic's under-18s face a big test on Saturday when taking on Preston at Chapel Road (11am kick-off).