Kelly available for transfer
Last updated : 11 October 2002 By The Chairman
Athletic are attempting to offload some of their surplus players after an intensive recruitment program towards the end of last season and at the start of this season. David Beharall, Fitz Hall, Les Pogliacomi, Clint Hill, Chris Killen,
Wayne Andrews, Josh Low, Clyde Wijnhard and Lourenco have all join the club as the manager has looked to build a promotion winning side.
The exercise means that the Latics now have 32 registered professional players. Athletic are looking to reduce their wages bill and the result is that clubs have been circulated that several of their players are available for transfer.
The biggest shock is that Gary Kelly (pictured), Athletic’s longest serving player, is on the list. Kelly has found that he is now third in the goalkeeping pecking order. Les Pogliacomi has kept eight clean sheets so far this season and David Miskelly has put in good performances in the Worthington Cup.
Manager Iain Dowie commenting on Kelly said, “Gary has been a great servant to the club but Les Pogliacomi and David Miskelly are doing particularly well this season and it is unlikely that Gary would have got many opportunities in the first team, Gary obviously wants to play first team football for as long as he can and I am sure he is more than capable of doing a job for someone and we will not stand in his way if another club comes in.”
Shaun Garnett is another player who has been made available. Garnett is currently on loan at Halifax Town and Dowie added, “Shaun is a great lad, a tremendous character and he has done really well to come back from such a serious injury, but the situation is similar to that with Gary Kelly. Clint Hill, Fitz Hall and Dave Beharall have come in and been tremendous and, like Gary, Shaun wants to be playing regularly and I couldn’t promise him that so I’ve said to him if you can get a club then we’ll let you go.”
Other players made available include striker David Reeves, currently on loan at Chesterfield, defender Stuart Balmer, currently on loan at Scunthorpe United and midfielders Wayne Gill and Danny Boshell. First year professionals Joe Doran and Tom Whittle are also classified as surplus to requirements at Boundary Park.