Will he stay, or will he go?

Photo: Alan Howarth

HIGH-FLYER . . . Chris Taylor climbs above the Carlisle defence to direct a header towards goal.

Taylor’s Latics future in the balance
ATHLETIC were braced for a new Chris Taylor bid today.

The club last week rejected a £250,000 offer for the winger from Scunthorpe United and though the Championship outfit may be reluctant to spend much above that amount, other suitors could yet enter the equation before the transfer window slams shut at 11pm tonight.

Taylor was the star performer for Athletic in the 2-2 draw at Carlisle, setting up Aidan White’s opening goal with an excellent cross before netting with a superb glancing header for his seventh of the season.

An improved fee — possibly around the £350,000 mark — could be enough to persuade Athletic’s board to sell.

But amid the speculation, the 24-year-old is simply concentrating on maintaining his current purple patch on the field.

“It is just nice that other clubs are taking an interest and that is all I can really say on the matter,” Taylor said.

“They (Athletic) were in talks with a club I believe and that was as far as I have got.

“Like I said to the gaffer when he pulled me in during the week, I am enjoying my football almost as much as ever right now.

“I feel like I am really hitting form so I am more than happy and just want to keep playing, and keep playing well.”

If Athletic were to cash in on Taylor, the twin signing of striker Reuben Reid and winger Aidan White last week ensures manager Paul Dickov still has plenty of attacking options at his disposal to mitigate the blow.

The Athletic manager would nonetheless be hugely reluctant to lose a player who has shone this season after a disappointing campaign beset by illness and injuries last time around.

If Taylor does depart his home-town club, he does so after a frustrating game at Brunton Park in which he felt that at two goals to the good, Athletic should have bagged three points.

“There were a few occasions where we could have made it 3-0 and we created the better chances all game,” Taylor said.

“Nobody would have argued if we had won by three or four goals — yet we have come away and it is 2-2.

“That is the main fact and it is not good enough from all of us.

“I am still scratching my head as to how they got a point.”

The winger felt the equalising penalty from Carlisle’s James Berrett — awarded for a trip by Paul Black on Francois Zoko — should not have been given.

“There was a brush, at most, and he went down hoping for the penalty without expecting it,” Taylor added.

“He went for it, got it, and got a point for his team.”

The Carlisle game very nearly didn’t get the go-ahead due to part of the pitch being frozen.

A long inspection took place at lunchtime on the day of the game and after consulting managers Dickov and Greg Abbot, all parties agreed it should go ahead.

Athletic, who have moved up three places to fifth in npower League One, are at home to Hartlepool United tomorrow (7.45pm kick-off).