Attacking on all fronts

Athletic striker Jonson Clarke-Harris will be out to continue his impressive pre-season form tonight.

ATHLETIC is buzzing, says manager Lee Johnson - who has promised to attack the new season on multiple fronts.

Previous boss Paul Dickov departed Boundary Park last season solely as a result of poor league form.

The current Doncaster manager left eight days after guiding the team to a glorious and lucrative FA Cup win over Liverpool — and 24 hours after an awful 3-1 slump at Walsall, which left Athletic one place above the League One relegation zone.

Improvement in the ‘bread and butter’ of league football is a priority for Athletic this season, not least in terms of entertainment value. Athletic managed to score only 25 times at home last time.

But the manager also stressed that success in knockout competitions helps to bring in much-needed revenue — particularly important in the context of the new North Stand being readied for the start of the following season.

And he also wants his men to be ready for battle every time they step onto the field.

“We need every penny we can get,” Johnson told the Chronicle.

“The chairman (Simon Corney) has been losing money for the past few years and I don’t want that to continue.

“There are so many positives around the place at the moment: our new stand, the buzz of the new season, the signings we have made who have real pace to excite supporters.

“I hope it doesn’t fizzle out. But you have to remember, there are 22 men going at each other hammer and tongs. Nothing is ever easy in football.”

Athletic, for whom Jonson Clarke-Harris has impressed, head to Accrington Stanley tonight (7.30pm kick-off) looking to maintain the good form in pre-season matches open to the public.

After a 2-2 draw with Dinamo Bucharest, Athletic won 2-0 at Curzon Ashton and a 4-1 win over Macclesfield.