Vigur-ous pursuit was all in vain

STAYING PUT . . . Joe Cooper (above) has put pen to paper on his first professional contract.

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ATHLETIC have been unsuccessful in their pursuit of midfield man Iain Vigurs.

Manager Lee Johnson admitted defeat last night in the bid to sign the out-of-contract Ross County star (25), who had appeared likely to sign on the dotted line.

No specific reason is believed to be responsible for the deal falling through, but Athletic’s frustrated boss was staying resolutely upbeat.

“We move on,” he said. Johnson had only yesterday expressed hope that an agreement could still be reached with a player who scored nine times in the top flight last season for the Highlands club.

But the former Inverness man has apparently been linked with a move to Glasgow Rangers — leaving Johnson to switch to other targets.

Meanwhile, Chris Sutherland and Joe Cooper have committed their futures to Athletic by signing their first professional contracts with the club.

The teenage pair made senior debuts last term and will now be concentrating on trying to break into Johnson’s first-team plans at Boundary Park in the 2013-14 season.

Winger Sutherland, 18 in August, attended Crompton House School. Quick and lively, he made 10 first-team appearances — including one start — in a season curtailed by injury.

Defender Cooper, an ex-Saddleworth School pupil, can operate at right-back and centre-back. He made his first-team debut at Shrewsbury.

Johnson has confirmed that Paul Murray will remain at the club as a member of the backroom staff.

The 36 year old, who took charge of the reserves towards the end of 2011-12, is being lined up by Johnson to operate in a role which will include scouting and coaching.

Goalkeeping coach Paul Gerrard is another staff member Johnson intends to keep on at Boundary Park.

THE deadline for season-ticket discounts is 5pm today. By this morning, Athletic had sold over 2,000 tickets for next season, with expectations of a late rush to boost that further.