Throwing down the gauntlet

Lee Johnson: determined that his team will beat Rochdale tomorrow

THE PRESTIGE of Anfield, the heightened atmosphere of the packed Kop and the chance to overcome a side featuring one of the world’s best strikers in Luis Suarez.

All of this pales into relative insignificance when compared to the challenge awaiting Lee Johnson at Spotland tomorrow.

Last season’s FA Cup third-round tie at Liverpool had Athletic walking out in front of a packed crowd of 44,102

Tomorrow there will be around 38,000 fewer supporters at Rochdale. No matter. Among that figure will be 3,250 Athletic supporters who took up their allocation weeks ago.

For each of them, and for Johnson, the stakes are high. Not only is local pride at stake, but so too is prime position for an assault on the Sky Bet League One play-offs.

With both clubs on 27 points, there is a chance to steal a march that Johnson is determined to take, in a fixture he has been relishing.

“I’m expecting a high-tempo game, that’s for sure,” said Johnson, whose stubborn side have lost only once in their last 17 outings inside 90 minutes.

“This is probably the game I’ve looked forward to the most since I have been a manager — even including the Liverpool game.

“There is a lot riding on it in terms of league position.

“Both squads are in good shape and with Keith Hill, Rochdale have a really good and charismatic manager.

“We are in a good place and this game can go a long way to enhancing that even more.”

After expressing his frustration at the inability of fringe players to make an impression when handed their chance against Preston this week, Johnson made the point that fortunes can flip very quickly.

He added: “We have 14 or 15 who are really knocking on the door heavily. That what was disappointing the other night, when we were talking about two or three taking a chance. It didn’t quite happen.

“But for example James Dayton, who didn’t have a great game, could score the winner in the local derby and propel himself into the hearts of every young Oldham fan. That’s the beauty of being a footballer.

“I’ve told the story before of when I was at Bristol City.

“I have told the story before of when I was at Bristol City. I was jeered off by 15,000 one day.

“Then on the Tuesday night, live on Sky, I scored the winner. The next Saturday, 15,000 came in early to sing my name.

“That was one week in football, from zero to hero.”

Athletic will hope to have at least 11 men in the latter category tomorrow.