Firing on all cylinders

DEAN Furman: his return to side tomorrow not guaranteed, he says

DEAN Furman is back and raring to go — but isn’t expecting simply to walk into Athletic’s starting line-up tomorrow.

He watched the game at Bramall Lane while in Nairobi for South Africa’s friendly against Kenya — and says anyone dropped against Leyton Orient could be forgiven for feeling hard done by.

He said: “I was very impressed with how the lads played. James Wesolowski stepped in as captain and was excellent again, and Robbie Simpson looked so comfortable alongside him in midfield.

“I am fit and ready for selection. I realise I have travelled a lot of late but I am raring to go. I was even gutted when I was told to sit out training yesterday in order to recover.

“I don’t expect to just walk back into the starting line-up. It is up to the manager.”

Leyton Orient beat Athletic at Boundary park last season, but Furman insists this year his team is a far different proposition.

“We are more interested in what we do now. We have a new-found confidence. “Orient are a good footballing side but our whole approach at the moment is not worrying about the opposition’s qualities.”



ATHLETIC duo David Mellor and Kirk Millar have joined Evo-Stik League Northern Premier Division outfit Chorley on loan for a month.

Northern Ireland under-21 international Millar has found chances hard to come by, as has Mellor (19), and both will hope regular football can enhance their Boundary Park prospects.

The move comes 12 months after Athletic rejected a £300,000 bid for full-back Mellor from Premier League side Fulham.

After bursting on to the scene with a goal on his full debut against Scunthorpe last term, his first team path was blocked by Paul Black and is now hampered by the presence of Jonathan Grounds.