Strictly keep scoring

Cristian Montano: recahing his peak

Montano confident floodgates will open

BORN in Cali, Colombia's third city and one boasting its own variation on the salsa, Cristian Montano says dancing is his "culture".

It is difficult to imagine Shefki Kuqi or indeed Kieran Lee bringing much in the way of Saturday Afternoon Fever to the field with celebratory dancing.

But having set down roots with Athletic, Montano (20) paid homage to his South American

origins by displaying his first hip-sahking moves in club colours after hitting an important second goal last week against Preston.

He has promised to get down again if he manages another at Bramall Lane.

You can forget about Cristian Alexis Montano Castillo doing the other trick of unveiling a slogan underneath his Athletic jersey as well, though. Been there, done that — and nobody got to see it.

"When I have worn a shirt bearing a slogan I haven't scored, and when I have left it alone, I have scored," he admitted. "So I just stay away from that now."

Montano's route to Boundary Park involved a move to London as a child, then an apprenticeship with West Ham, from which he was released after eight years, followed by several loan switches last season.

Tomorrow, the in-form £60,000 signing has the perfect stage on which to give Athletic's supporters another show of expert wing play that has brought to mind for many fans the rampaging days of Alan Groves.

"I am getting to how I normally play," said Montano, who signed a two-year contract with the option of a third. “I am getting my confidence back and that is all down to the coaching staff who have believed and put trust in me.”



JAMES Wesolowski will captain Athletic at Sheffield United tomorrow. In the absence of regular skipper Dean Furman - on international duties with South Africa - his fellow central midfielder takes the armband ahead of Cliff Byrne.



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