Locky a key man for Latics

Photo: PICTURE: ALAN HOWARTH

Athletic defender Adam Lockwood in action against Bristol City.

THE NUMBERS - two starts, one goal conceded - make decent reading for Athletic’s new chief defensive marshal.

If he keeps up that sort of ratio, Adam Lockwood can truly be labelled a renaissance man.

Seemingly on the scrapheap of the professional game, the terms of the Wakefield-born defender’s release by Bury meant he was forced to play in Skrill Conference North for the first half of the season, where he bossed things for Guiseley while maintaining his fitness by training full-time at Athletic.

The reopening of the window allowed manager Lee Johnson to make his move, hauling his former Yeovil team-mate up three divisions.

It wasn’t the most heralded of acquisitions as far as Athletic fans were concerned. But Guiseley supporters felt the loss keenly.

“Far too good for this level right now and gutted to see him go,” read a message posted on the club’s fans’ forum. “A gem of a find for us; a gem of a find for (Athletic) too,” said another.

The attributes that so impressed supporters of the West Yorkshire amateurs — vast experience and a rugged, no-nonsense approach — also marked him out from the pack in Johnson’s squad.

With Cliff Byrne gone, the former Doncaster captain is at 32 by far the elder statesman at Boundary Park. He showed his worth at Swindon by filling the gap created by the loss of James Tarkowski, keeping a rare clean sheet against a side previously in hot form at home.

No defender will look back on the Bristol City game with total pride, given the nature of another goal conceded to a simple corner routine, but Lockwood’s second performance alongside the elegant James Wilson suggested a positive balance has been struck in the heart of Athletic’s defence.

“I wanted to come here and make an impact and help the squad move forward,” Lockwood told the Chronicle, after that 1-1 draw played out in gale-force winds. “The more chances I get to start, the better.”

With Tarkowski’s return on loan blocked - at least for the time being - Lockwood is set to maintain his role at MK Dons on Saturday.