Young striker’s ‘fresh start’

Athletic boss Lee Johnson is delighted to have brought Jonson Clarke-Harris to Boundary Park.

JONSON Clarke-Harris first persuaded his new manager of his talents in one of the biggest games of Athletic’s season - while playing for Bury.

The powerful 18-year-old striker was causing problems for Athletic in a must-win game at Gigg Lane a month ago.

While on loan from Peterborough, Clarke-Harris smashed in four goals for the relegated Shakers in 12 appearances — eight of them as a sub.

That goal tally would gave been five if a goal against Latics hadn’t been disallowed - allowing Athletic to gain a crucial 1-0 victory.

Johnson had the player watched in the remainder of Bury’s matches and received good reports.

The task for the strapping forward — Coventry City’s youngest-ever debutant, at 16 years and 21 days — is to develop his career under Johnson's tutelage.

“He is young, big, strong and quick,” Johnson said. “And those sorts of players are very difficult to come by at this level.

“He has a lot to do - but the ingredients are there for him to be anything he wants to be in the game.”

The 12-month, one-year-option deal makes him the first permanent acquisition of Johnson's reign as manager.



ATHLETIC will take on Huddersfield Town in a Boundary Park friendly on Saturday, July 27 (3pm kick-off).



CARL Winchester and Kirk Millar this week train with Northern Ireland’s squad ahead of the UEFA Under-21 Championship fixture in Cyprus on Thursday, May 30.