Thoughts on here and now

Goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms

BOBBY Mimms has played at the old Wembley Stadium on a handful of occasions — and he’d love to go back there in April as part of Athletic’s coaching staff.

With two earlier round victories safely tucked under their belts, Athletic fans will be sharpening their focus considerably on the new Wembley should Lee Johnson’s side make it through tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern section quarter-final tie against Notts County at Boundary Park (kick-off 7.45pm).

And former Everton and Tottenham goalkeeper Mimms knows exactly how special it would be for everyone connected with Athletic, should his current club reach the final.

“The first time I played there was in the FA Cup final in 1986,” Mimms recalled.

“Unfortunately we were beaten by Liverpool, but looking back it was a great day as it was the first all-Merseyside cup final.

“It was a massive occasion as you can imagine.

“I’d never been there as a kid or anything, so it was a really special moment when I walked out onto the pitch for the first time.

“I was there with Blackburn in the 1992 play-off final against Leicester.

“We won 1-0 to get promotion into the Premier League, and that one was great because that was the season the Premier League was to start.

“I’ve played in Charity Shield games there, too, and it’s just a marvellous stadium so we’d all love to go there with Oldham.”

Athletic swept aside Shrewsbury 4-1 in the first round and followed up with a 2-0 win over Preston, in which Danny Philliskirk and James Wesolowski scored within the opening nine minutes.

Victory tonight against the Magpies would take Athletic a stage closer to appearing at a venue known throughout the world.
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