Lovin’ it at Latics

CHRIS Taylor - in action against Hartlepool on Boxing Day - has hailed Athetic's team spirit

It’s just great to be involved — Taylor
CHRIS Taylor is enjoying life with Athletic — for the time being, at least.

The 25-year-old winger believes the forthcoming FA Cup trip to Liverpool and a possible Wembley visit in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy have lifted spirits to new heights this term.

Whether Taylor, who is out of contract in the summer, opts to stay on at the club beyond the end of his current deal is in doubt.

He is one of a host of current first-team squad members who, as it stands, will become free agents at the end of this season. Only seven players — Alex Cisak, Jean-Yves Mvoto, David Mellor, Matt Smith, James Tarkowski, Carl Winchester and Connor Hughes — have deals extending past the summer.

Having made 265 first-team appearances since graduating through the youth system, it would be a wrench for Taylor to depart Boundary Park. But the chance of a big pay-day elsewhere could be hard to resist.

Manager Paul Dickov has already gone on record that he wants him to stick around and Taylor expects the same is true of other players. “It is just great to be involved with this set of lads, day-to-day in

training,” said Taylor, who scored the only goal in the Southend replay which set up the third-round tie at Anfield.

“I didn’t think that the team spirit of last year could have been beaten — but this season it is

possibly one step ahead. I have only spoken to the gaffer about it (a new contract). I know Kieran (Lee) is in the same boat and I wouldn’t be surprised if the club will be looking to tie down quite a few players.”

On the playing front, Athletic have two npower League One fixtures before the Liverpool tie on Friday week. Notts County visit Boundary Park on Saturday and two days later, Dickov’s men travel to play at Chesterfield.

Lee (ankle) and Mvoto (hamstring) are both set for returns to the starting line-up for those games, but James Wesolowski could be absent after dislocating his shoulder early in the Hartlepool defeat.

It wasn’t the first time the ex-Peterborough midfielder, who was taken to hospital, has suffered the problem. The expectation is that he will wait to have an operation at the end of the season.

devastated

“Absolutely devastated with how today went for the team and myself,” Wesolowski tweeted on Monday evening. “Hate my shoulder.”

Carl Winchester (ankle) was missing from the squad to face Hartlepool following an injury playing for the reserves.