Mind the gaps

ATHLETIC’S players got stuck back into training this morning — as the squad-building process starts to accelerate.

Robbie Simpson handed the club a major boost last week by agreeing to extend his contract by a further 12 months. He joined in today’s initial pre-season session by another important figure who has elected to remain at Boundary Park, James Wesolowski, plus new young prospects defender Connor Brown, striker Dan Taylor and goalkeeper Liam Jacob.

Also back in were first-team men including goalkeeper Alex Cisak, centre-backs Jean-Yves Mvoto and James Tarkowski and captain Dean Furman.

Beyond that, numbers are thin on the ground.

Manager Paul Dickov will certainly want to bring in a couple of wide players to fill the vacancies left by the departure of Chris Taylor and Keanu Marsh-Brown.

And with no official word yet on the future of last season’s top scorer Shefki Kuqi, it could be that Dickov is also on the look-out for a new main striker.

Part of Athletic’s pre-season preparation will take place in two weeks’ at a training camp in Portugal.

“I think it is much-needed,” said assistant manager Gerry Taggart of the trip. “It is coming out of the playing budget, but I think it is important to give the players something to focus on. It is a chance for them to spend time together.”


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