Shez pins his faith in Matt

Matt Palmer

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MATT Palmer will provide a major boost in the fight to avoid relegation by staying at the club — as long as Athletic get their way.

The energetic midfielder has been a star turn in his month at the club working under manager John Sheridan, playing a major part in the current unbeaten run and earning the match-winning penalty at Peterborough this week.

Palmer turns 21 tomorrow and the terms of his current youth loan mean his stay officially ends after the Scunthorpe game.

But it is understood the player wants to stay rather than return to parent club Burton, where he found himself out of the squad under manager Nigel Clough.

As he heads to Glanford Park hunting down a third win in eight days for Athletic, Sheridan made it clear he wants to bring Palmer back for at least a month on an emergency loan.

“I will know the answer today,” said Sheridan. “It will do Matty the world of good and it will do Burton good. “Nigel Clough has been brilliant and has allowed him to play here. A player gets confidence by just playing in games.”

It is three years since Athletic last won three league matches in succession. To possibly climb out of the bottom-four, Athletic will need to see off a Scunthorpe side that had won four games in a row before being beaten 2-1 at Fleetwood last week.

“Scunthorpe have good players; we respect them, but we go there believing we can get three points,” said Sheridan.

Joseph Mills’ partner delivered a healthy girl after going into labour before the Peterborough game and the left-back is back in contention.

Dominic Poleon isn’t yet back in training and the same is true of Rhys Murphy, who hurt a knee in the build-up to the game at London Road. Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s ankle injury is not thought to be serious and he could figure.


DAVID Dunn has landed a new job — back at Blackburn. The 36 year old, sacked as Athletic’s manager last month, is the new under-21s assistant coach at Ewood Park.