Duo takes on quality squad

DEAN Holden won’t impose wholesale changes as he gets his feet under the management table.

Holden, appointed to run team affairs short-term with assistant Adam Lockwood, knows the squad assembled by Lee Johnson and Tommy Wright is good enough to match any rival in League One on its day.

A lengthy injury list does Athletic no favours ahead of the new era, which begins with the visit of Preston on Saturday.

This remains a superb opportunity for two defenders to cut their teeth as bosses with a side in a promising league position. Touch wood, Athletic isn’t a relegation battle. At 15 remaining fixtures Johnson estimated he needed another eight or nine wins to make the play-offs. Even going close to that would look good on the manager’s CV.

Should Athletic decide to move to new people in the summer, the club is likely to again give a chance to a new manager.

Paul Dickov and Lee Johnson both enjoyed far more memorable moments than the more experienced Dave Penney, ever did before them.