Big chance

ATHLETIC chairman Simon Corney said taking on Manchester City’s stars is a “great opportunity” for the club.

Mario Balotelli, David Silva, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, Joe Hart, Joleon Lescott and James Milner are all set to turn out at Boundary Park in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday, July 31 (7.45pm kick-off) in a fixture at which a good crowd is expected to watch the Euro 2012 contingent.

There certainly promises to be more activity at the turnstiles than would have been the case had Athletic kept to the original plan of facing Birmingham City that night.

And while the Championship club have kicked up a fuss in the media at the cancellation of that game, Corney said Blues manager Lee Clark gave the green light before the new plan was announced.

“The City game is a big one for us,” said Corney. “Within one hour of Paul Dickov ringing up to ask, Lee Clark said it was no problem. There was no conspiracy or anything. People get carried away.”

Birmingham will now play Bury instead.






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