Mac back at old stomping ground

FRONT man Charlie MacDonald returns to familiar territory when Athletic go to Crawley Town on Saturday.

MEMORIES of good times will flow when Charlie MacDonald takes to the field at his old club Crawley this weekend.

But the experienced Athletic striker is now fully focused on sinking his old team.

After scoring the equaliser against Crewe, MacDonald (32) is set to keep his place for the game at the Broadfield Stadium.

It is one Athletic could do with winning. Lee Johnson’s side hasn’t picked up three points the league for more than a month.

Well-travelled MacDonald — who helped Crawley to promotion to the Conference in 2004 and then scored the club’s first goal in non-league’s top tier — believes Athletic are far better than the current standings suggest.

But he accepts that it is time to show that superiority with results.

“I had some good times with Crawley in non-league, winning a couple of titles,” MacDonald reflected.

“But we are going down there to do a job; there’s no room for sentiment.

“The sooner we start climbing the table, the better. We feel we are in a false position but no doubt there are other teams who will say just the same.

“The division won’t start taking shape until Christmas. We need to make sure we are up at the right end by then.”

Genseric Kusunga was back in training yesterday after missing the Crewe match with a tightened hamstring, while Cristian Montano is making progress after having surgery to remove fluid from a cyst.