Philliskirk hails ‘real gems’

JACK TRUELOVE is one of host of promising young players at Boundary Park.

ATHLETIC boss Lee Johnson looks set to maintain his faith in the club’s talented younger players next season.

Teenagers Glenn Belezika, Danny Gosset, Joe Cooper and Jack Truelove all enjoyed first-team action towards the end of the season and Athletic’s youth boss Tony Philliskirk is delighted Johnson has given him and his young players strong backing.

Philliskirk said: “Since he joined the club, Lee has taken the attitude that young players are definitely the way forward. He has very much nailed his colours to the mast in that respect.

“I think it’s fantastic the youth players we have will get opportunities as long as they continue to work hard. The chairman is right behind the youth set-up, too. In fact last week the chairman and the manager both came in and spoke to the lads. That gave me a lift as well as the players.

“I think the attitude is going to be one of ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’, and some of these lads will definitely be good enough. There are some real gems coming through the ranks at the moment.”



DONCASTER Rovers chairman John Ryan has confirmed he wants to talk to former Athletic boss Paul Dickov about the managerial vacancy at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Forty-year-old Dickov, who left Athletic in February, is a hot favourite to take over from Brian Flynn, who was last week switched to a director of football role at Rovers.