Selfless Simpson is a star turn

HOW do you measure Robbie Simpson's contribution to Athletic?

Most strikers are judged purely on how many times they find the net. Dedication and causing defenders mischief is one thing, but landing a place in the top-scorers' chart is usually the ultimate goal of all centre-forwards if they want to hammer down a place in the team.

Simpson, though is the sort of case manager Paul Dickov empathises with.

"If he keeps putting in performances like that, I don’t care if he scores or not," said Dickov after Simpson had done all but find the net against Crewe.

It is a viewpoint which must take something from Dickov’s own career in which 119 goals from 477 appearances form only the finishing flourishes of a bigger picture of graft and selflessness.

The on-loan Huddersfield striker finally tucked into a large slice of luck by hitting an ambitious free-kick which was dropped behind his own line by hapless Burton goalkeeper Ross Atkins.

A hat-trick followed against Chesterfield and had the one-that-never-was stood at Bournemouth, the 26-year-old's goals record would now read five in 15 appearances for the club.

The main string to Simpson's bow, though, is the hold-up play and eye for a pass which has brought him seven assists for the club.

And thanks to his fine performances, which have rendered his status as an exile in the camp at parent club Huddersfield all the more puzzling, Simpson is the front-runner in the Star Man awards with five man-of-the-match votes.

Star man awards — Robbie Simpson 5; Reuben Reid 4; James Wesolowski 3; Zander Diamond, Kieran Lee 2; Jean-Yves Mvoto, Carl Winchester, Tom Adeyemi, Shefki Kuqi, David Mellor, Dean Furman, Luca Scapuzzi 1.