Final touches to big build-up

ATHLETIC are making the final few arrangements for what will be a seven-match pre-season programme.

Club chief executive Mark Moisley has been working hard alongside team manager John Sheridan in finalising much of the detail so far - a pre-season stint which will include a four-day mini-tour to the South-West of England.

Athletic's players will report back for pre-season training on June 29, with the first friendly fixture set to take place at Northern Premier League side Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday, July 8.

That game has been arranged as part of a continuing agreement with Celtic following the capture of striker Darius Osei from the Bower Fold side last summer.

FIXTURE

Sheridan and his squad will then head for the South-West on July 11 and stay three nights in the area.

There will be a fixture on Wednesday, July 12 against an as-yet unnamed club, while a behind-closed doors game will also be shoe-horned into the mini-tour.

Athletic travel to National League North side Curzon Ashton on Tuesday, July 18, before heading to League Two Accrington Stanley on Saturday, July 22.

Middlesbrough head to SportsDirect.com Park on Tuesday, July 25, before Athletic wrap up pre-season on Tuesday, August 1, with another fixture against another still-to-be-named side.

The new Sky Bet League One season kicks-off on August 5, and Moisley said: "We think we've picked an important set of games which will certainly help John and the players with the build-up to the new season.

"The manager was keen to get in a few local games, and I think we've done well in that respect."

The missing arrangements will be confirmed by Athletic over the next few days.

Meanwhile, the family of Gordon Lawton - Athletic's popular football secretary who has died aged 63 - have expressed their gratitude for the amount of tributes and messages they have seen and received since his passing.

Through the Athletic club website, the family wrote: "We are all hurting from the loss of such a great man, but what has kept us going is the kind words and lovely tributes which everyone has displayed.

"It just goes to show how much he will be missed and we would like to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for the messages of support.

"We will all miss Gordon dearly."