Goal-den aim for Latics

ATHLETIC striker Adam Rooney has not ruled out scoring a hat-trick against Port Vale tomorrow.

ADAM Rooney is unfazed by his lack of goals for Athletic.

The club’s premier out-and-out striker has started all four matches so far without finding the net.

The Dublin-born player’s record suggests it’s only a matter of time before that situation changes. Rooney (25) has averaged almost exactly one goal for every three league games across spells at several clubs.

“I always have belief that I will score goals and anywhere I have been, I have scored goals,” said the strong forward, who has a career tally of 70 goals from 209 league games.

“If the chances fall right you never know, it could be a hat-trick at the weekend and you kick on from there.

“My season didn’t really start last year until the middle of September, but I still managed to get into double figures in 14 games. So I believe I will score goals.

“There is a good vibe here and the lads are confident we can have a great season. Hopefully we can start tomorrow.”

The feeling of positivety is one manager Lee Johnson hopes to feel around the ground this weekend.

Athletic have lost their last three games but Johnson suggests statistics put the team on the verge of bigger things.

“The feedback I get is that people understand we are talented, mobile, good on the ball,” said Johnson.

“We’ve had three really tough games on the spin.

“With that little extra percentage you get from being real winners, we’d have probably drawn against Walsall and drawn or won at Peterborough.”