Visionaries with talent

Carl Winchester

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A quarter of a century on from Athletic’s League Cup final appearance, the Chronicle profiles the top 25 players to have worn the famous shirt since. Here are the latest three

RICHIE WELLENS

RONNIE Moore was far from universally popular as Athletic’s manager, but he did get it right when he swooped to bring Wellens into the club.

A sharp-minded midfield operator with the ability to see passes the majority of players are blind to, the former Manchester United apprentice first rocked up at Boundary Park after leaving Blackpool in the summer of 2005 in a deal which saw Scott Vernon move in the opposite direction.

It was something of a homecoming for the Moston-born player, whose exit from Bloomfield Road came as a result of a fall-out with Pool boss Colin Hendry over playing styles.

He proved to be an instant hit at his new club. Named as the Chronicle Star Man and fans’ player of the year for 2005-06, Wellens missed only one of 52 league and cup clashes all season as Athletic finished a campaign which flirted with the play-offs in 10th place in League One.

In his second season with the club, kindred spirit boss John Sheridan brought the best out of Wellens as the club made it into the end-of-season play-offs.

This time, Wellens played 50 times — quite a record of consistency — but after missing out on promotion, after two years he opted to make the switch to league One rivals Doncaster.

Wellens helped Rovers to promotion before leaving for Leicester in a £1million deal and is currently back playing for the South Yorkshire club at the ripe age of 35.


CARL WINCHESTER


FOR a long time, the young midfield man from Belfast appeared destined to be a talent that would fail to blossom.

Brought into the youth system by Tony Philliskirk, Winchester made his debut for Athletic aged 17 under Paul Dickov, in an otherwise very forgettable FA Cup defeat at Accrington in 2010.

But it wasn’t until last season that the full Northern Ireland international was able to make a lasting impression in the first team.

Winchester scored four goals in 2014-15, one a brilliant solo run and finish to win three points in a tight clash at Scunthorpe. Another was a fine curling effort from long range against Fleetwood.

In the home clash against the latter club, he produced one of the minor moments of the season when dancing and spinning between two utterly flummoxed defenders to bring the Oldham crowd to its feet.

Winchester almost didn’t make it with Athletic. After 45 appearances over four seasons, a one-year option was taken up by boss Lee Johnson but it was far from a straightforward decision.

“He has flaws to his game and that worries me,” Johnson said in April 2013. “He needs to go to another level. If we can iron those out, he has got some real talent.”

A new two and a half year contract was signed in March - and the hope is the a player who glides across the turf can fly even higher next season.


LEE RICHARDSON


The man from Halifax, who is now a psychologist, was part of the last side to compete in the second tier. As an all-round midfield operator, Richardson was very accomplished.

His spell at Boundary Park, which followed a £300,000 move from Aberdeen as the club rebuilt following relegation from the premier league in 1994, was easily the most prolific of his career.

Richardson scored 23 goals in 101 appearances over three seasons.

Amid a troubled time for Athletic — Joe Royle was replaced in Richardson’s first season and the subsequent release of Andy Ritchie provoked fury among fans — Richardson stood out, finishing joint-top scorer with Sean McCarthy. He was also named the supporters’ player of the year.

Richardson’s exit from Athletic following relegation was of the cut-price variety: he left for Huddersfield for only £75,000.

The former Dons star, who also turned out for Halifax, Watford and Blackburn before signing for Athletic, finished his career at Chesterfield and went on to manage the side. These days the 46 year old is a sports psychologist at Lancashire Cricket Club, having held a similar role at West Ham.