Quiet resolve

CRAIG Davies, pictured in his first spell at Athletic, is not prepared to sound off about the club's prospects next season

CRAIG Davies almost gained promotion to the Championship last time out - but he's not in the business of making big talk about Athletic's prospects.

Athletic's new striker, described by his mentor John Sheridan as a more rounded player than the one who first joined the club a decade ago, played his part in Scunthorpe's end-of-season revival that cemented the club's play-off place in Sky Bet League One.

Davies (31) was a regular as a substitute off the bench as the Iron won their final five league games, before exiting to Millwall in the play-off semi-finals.

Half a season at Glanford Park - he left Wigan to sign a short-term deal - didn't yield any goals for a player who nine times came on as a substitute in the final 10 minutes of Scunthorpe's matches.

But it has given Davies a taste of what to expect next term.

And while he sees no reason why Sheridan's side can't carry on their own positive end-of-season run into 2017-18, he says the results will speak for themselves.

"I am not one to talk about promotion or make big predictions," said Davies, who became the second new player in after Dan Gardner.

"Wigan will be strong, Blackburn and Rotherham will be and there is Fleetwood, Bradford and Scunthorpe as well.

"To say we want to do this or that is not right. If the boys could mirror the results from the second half of last season, then you could say you are in with every chance."

Davies also stressed that while he didn't get on the field as much as would be ideal for Scunthorpe, who finished four points shy of Bolton in second place, he was happy to contribute to the cause.

"I went in at a time they were doing really well in the league," added Davies. "They needed results and I needed games.

"At the time, I needed five or six games to get back as I had not played for so long. They couldn't really give me that, but I still would like to think I contributed to the run they went on that got them into the play-offs. There were some good people at the club and I am glad for the experience.

"We had a blip, but had the season lasted another three or four weeks we could have got back into a promotion spot.

"I possibly went there at the wrong time on a personal note, but I don't regret it."

Sheridan, meanwhile, says Athletic are getting a player he believes can back to being prolific, as when he scored 25 times in 45 games for Chesterfield in League Two under his management six years ago to earn a move to Barnsley.

"I just think he needs to get back on track," Sheridan said. "But I like him as a lad and I think I can get something out of him again.

"I have done that before on a couple of occasions and I think Craig feels the same about me.

"I believe he will be a really good asset for us.

"He is still at a good age and he knows what I want from him and how I work.

"I hope that can give him the confidence to get back scoring goals, because I know he can do that."