Fired up for a win

BACKED by a large following and confidence despite poor results, Athletic manager Lee Johnson will be aggressive in his pursuit of victory at Rotherham tomorrow.

Athletic’s last five league matches have produced only three points — but performances have been far better than that suggests.

Tomorrow the unbeaten Millers come from a 3-1 derby victory over Sheffield United — but Johnson promises his team will be fired up for the occasion.

“Rotherham are flying,” said Johnson, who is expecting yp to 1,500 Athletic fans to travel to the game in South Yorkshire. “But we believe we can get a result. We are sort of buzzing as well. We go full of confidence.”

Johnson’s opposite number Steve Evans is a manager renowned for his fiery temper.

“I know his reputation, but I have always found him a really nice guy,” added Johnson. “I know in the heat of the dug-out he is quite lively. He’s an aggressive man who likes to win, as am I.”


Chairman Simon Corney has backed Johnson’s assertion that Latics are building up to punish a rival team.
“We will go on a run at some point and will hammer teams, I am confident of that,” he said.

The team’s lack of points only six from six games — doesn’t worry him, he says.

“I feel sorry for Lee,” he added. “We should be a lot better off,

“We have got a talented squad and a very strong bench.

“I would like more points of course, but this is new to everyone at the moment and we back the manager 100-per-cent.”