History boys!

Photo: PICTURES by ALAN HOWARTH

ALL TOGETHER NOW: the Latics squad at the football museum

ATHLETIC have became only the third club - after Ajax and Manchester City - to visit to the National Football Museum in Manchester. MATTHEW CHAMBERS was given exclusive access.

“SOMEONE puts the ball in, it is headed down by someone else and Gerrard . . . it’s an absolute banger, Gary.”

In describing the dramatic goal scored by Liverpool’s captain in the 2006 FA Cup final, Connor Brown brought something special to the interactive commentary booth at the National Football Museum in Manchester. Very special indeed.

The sight of the young full-back with the heavy Sheffield accent reporting back to Match of the Day host Gary Lineker wasn’t the only surreal moment on Athletic’s afternoon out this week.

The knitwear on display was something to behold. The concentration of so many hideous Christmas jumpers in so tight a space meant there was a danger the Urbis building would fall into a black hole of bad taste.

Most of the players wore jackets to cover up the monstrosities beneath. But not Jonson Clarke-Harris, who strode into the impressive £8.5million museum in a Santa Claus raincoat.

Athletic’s clothes choices were loud and proud by decree: anyone not wearing a garish jumper was liable for a £20 fine.

Fun and games aside - the latter including the museum’s penalty shoot-out trial the trip had a purpose.

“Think about the history on show here, and how you want to be remembered,” Johnson told his players in the museum’s foyer, four days ahead of the FA Cup second-round tie against Mansfield.

And as the squad made their way to the Windmill House cabin in Albert Square for a mug of mulled wine afterwards, Athletic’s manager explained the thinking behind bringing them out.

“It is important for team bonding,” said the boss. “It gets all of the players together and talking when they may not usually do so.”

Hopefully, the enhanced communications will see the club through to the third round.

Land a big draw then and who knows? Maybe one day some spectacular pitch feat by one of the Athletic players will be more museum lore for future generations to hear or see and admire.