Lee looking for lift-off

WAITING GAME . . . Paul Rachubka will not be signing a Latics contract this week.

ATHLETIC will stick with their existing squad on Saturday to get the home campaign up and running.

Jonson Clarke-Harris and David Mellor are both due to train tomorrow and will come into contention for Saturday’s game against Port Vale.

Other than that, manager Lee Johnson expects to be selecting from the same players who performed well, despite losing 2-1 at Peterborough.

Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka won’t sign the short-term contract offered to him before the weekend at least, and there is no deal imminent for the trial centre-back who impressed in the reserves’ 3-1 victory over Tranmere this week.

Johnson is positive he has enough already to gain positive results and show off the potential he believes is in his squad.

“I’m excited but also frustrated at the moment,” said Johnson, who is hunting the club’s first home win.

“I want to win every game. We didn’t manage that at Peterborough, but I want to show our home fans how good a side I believe we are.”

The chances of landing the deal for Rachubka (32), a free agent after leaving Leeds, are complicated by FIFA regulations. Players not on youth loan are only permitted registration by a maximum of three clubs and can play only for two in any one season.

If Rachubka was to sign for Athletic in the short term then move to another club on a longer-term contract, he would be unable to play anywhere else until next season.