Wales ambition for comeback Cassidy

LOOKING TO KICK ON . . . Jake Cassidy tries to create an opening on his return to the side.

BACK in the action after a huge setback, Jake Cassidy already has his sights trained on international honours.

The former Wales under-21 striker returned to the pitch for Athletic for the whole of the second half in the defeat at Crewe, but couldn’t prevent his side slumping to a seventh defeat of the season.

But as the sort of mobile, aggressive forward his manager David Dunn has been craving, Cassidy — missing since chipping a bone and suffering ankle ligament damage in August — knows there is plenty more to come.

The ex-Wolves man doesn’t want to rush anything, but has been watching the progress of rival Wales rival Tom Bradshaw at Walsall with interest.

“I played 45 minutes, my first for 15 weeks so it’s going be hard to come on and do something,” said Cassidy of his run-out at Gresty Road.

“It’s a case of building on this and trying to get back to full fitness as soon as possible. I’ve not been back in full training for long and it was difficult to come back in. But from now on it’s a case of working hard. Hopefully I can push on and get back to full fitness.

“The idea was to come in the summer but I had a massive setback. It’s nice to be back on the field now.”

Ahead of a break from the league in the FA Cup on Saturday, Cassidy admits the mood is low among a group of players who have been on the winning side only four times in 24 games.

“Everyone in the changing room was gutted with the performance,” said Cassidy. “We know we’ve got enough quality and players to turn it around for us. When you start losing games it’s hard. Confidence is down. But it’s only coming into December. We’ve got enough quality to win games and get out of it.” Wales ambition for comeback Cassidy


LOOKING TO KICK ON . . . Jake Cassidy tries to create an opening on his return to the side.
Matthew Chambers and Simon Smedley


BACK in the action after a huge setback, Jake Cassidy already has his sights trained on international honours.


The former Wales under-21 striker returned to the pitch for Athletic for the whole of the second half in the defeat at Crewe, but couldn’t prevent his side slumping to a seventh defeat of the season.

But as the sort of mobile, aggressive forward his manager David Dunn has been craving, Cassidy — missing since chipping a bone and suffering ankle ligament damage in August — knows there is plenty more to come.

The ex-Wolves man doesn’t want to rush anything, but has been watching the progress of rival Wales rival Tom Bradshaw at Walsall with interest.

“I played 45 minutes, my first for 15 weeks so it’s going be hard to come on and do something,” said Cassidy of his run-out at Gresty Road.

“It’s a case of building on this and trying to get back to full fitness as soon as possible. I’ve not been back in full training for long and it was difficult to come back in. But from now on it’s a case of working hard. Hopefully I can push on and get back to full fitness.

“The idea was to come in the summer but I had a massive setback. It’s nice to be back on the field now.”

Ahead of a break from the league in the FA Cup on Saturday, Cassidy admits the mood is low among a group of players who have been on the winning side only four times in 24 games.

“Everyone in the changing room was gutted with the performance,” said Cassidy. “We know we’ve got enough quality and players to turn it around for us. When you start losing games it’s hard. Confidence is down. But it’s only coming into December. We’ve got enough quality to win games and get out of it.”