Latics’ class at the back

Kieran Lee

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IT took a long time, but eventually Kieran Lee started to make the most of his clear talent while playing for Athletic.

Returning to Boundary Park in 2008, seven years after leaving the club’s centre of excellence to join Manchester United, the Stalybridge-born right back or midfielder was full of enthusiasm.

Then a teenager, Lee had spent time on loan at QPR in the Championship before signing a two-year deal with Athletic.

Lee’s relish for the task ahead can’t have been helped by being shut out of the side by John Sheridan — the man who signed him. In his first season, Lee made only 10 appearances.

Matters improved under Dave Penney the following season. After initially being told he could go out on loan, he returned to play 26 times under a manager unsure of his ability.

Lee’s form accelerated towards the end of the season, and he continued to improve under new manager Paul Dickov. His technical ability on the ball marked him out as a cut above, and he scored goals too — none better than the superb curled effort in the 3-2 win at Sheffield United.

His second season working under Dickov saw him virtually clear up as Athletic’s player of the year for 2011-12, acclaimed by his skipper Dean Furman as the “best right-back in League One”.

A free transfer to Hillsborough followed after 134 appearances for Athletic. And after a slow start with the Owls, he became an established member of the side in the Championship outfit’s midfield, recently signing a new two-year deal.


GUNNAR HALLE


A HARD-RUNNING Norwegian who played in two World Cup finals, Gunnar Halle remains one of legendary manager Joe Royle’s most inspired signings.


A full-back who could also operate in midfield, he was plucked from Lillestrom in early1991 for a bargain £280,000.

He liked it so much at Boundary Park that even after relegation from the top flight — and shortly before a stint in the US for the 1994 World Cup — Halle declared his intention to remain on board.

“There is a clause which says I can go, but there is nothing more to add,” said the popular Halle, who played in all three campaigns in the top division and earned 51 national caps while with Oldham.

“I’m quite happy so long as the club doesn’t sell its best players and tries to get back up straight away.”

The heights of the premier league were never hit again by Athletic, but by the time Halle signed for Leeds he had mae 213 appearances for the club and scored 21 goals.

He was one of only 11 foreign players to feature in the first round of Premier League fixtures in 1992 — Eric Cantona and Manchester City’s Michel Vonk, who went on to play for Athletic, being two of the others.

The reliable defender ended his stay in England at Bradford City before returning home to Lillestrøm in the summer of 2002. He worked as Uwe Rosler’s assistant at Lillestrøm and Viking and was assistant boss for the Norway women’s side three years ago. He is currently in a coaching role at Strommen.



The candidates so far: Jose Baxter, Rick Holden, Sean Gregan, Ian Marshall, Neil Redfearn, John Sheridan, Nick Henry, Mike Milligan, Chris Taylor, David Eyres, Lee Richardson, Richie Wellens, Carl Winchester, Gunnar Halle, Kieran Lee.