Phill your boots

FINISHER AND CREATOR . . . Danny Phlliskirk displays two weapons in his armoury on Tuesday, scoring from the penalty spot (left) and dazzling opponents with his silky skills (above).

IF Danny Philliskirk keeps having that ‘edge’ about him, there is no predicting how many goals he will score this season, or how successful his career will become.

Once again, Athletic hit-man Philliskirk was in lethal form on Tuesday night, bagging two goals in the 5-1 thumping of Notts County in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern quarter-final.

That’s five in the competition so far for the 22-year-old son of youth boss

Tony – and six in just 12 starts overall – so no wonder Athletic manager Lee Johnson has offered a glowing reference.

Johnson said: “Danny was fantastic on Tuesday. Forget the goals, just his general play was terrific.

“I see how good he is every day. He’s such a technician, but I do keep asking him what will give him the edge.

“Does that come from games, does it come from experience, or even aggression?

“He’s definitely had that in certain games, while sometimes he goes unnoticed because he’s almost too good, too controlled.

“On Tuesday he was noticed, and I was delighted for him.

“Almost everything he did was right. He only gave the ball away two or three times.

“He brings people into the game, he set Tarky and James Dayton up for their goals, and got two himself.

“That’s what I’d call having the edge.”

As Johnson points out, Philliskirk is being noticed.

Again there were a clutch of scouts in attendance for the Notts County game, and though it appears vultures may be circling with the January transfer window fast approaching, the Athletic manager insists he is pleased with the attention.

“It means I’m doing well doesn’t it?,” Johnson said wryly.

“They are obviously seeing that we are playing well, and it is good that these scouts are watching us.

“We’ve got such a young group, but people go away impressed with Danny Philliskirk, with Jonson Clarke-Harris, James Tarkowski, James Dayton and Jonathan Grounds.

“Korey Smith has been immense, too. How we’ve got him playing in this division I don’t know.

“The scouts are here because a

lot of these players are under 24, but the good thing for us is that most of them are also on at least two-year contracts.”