Much more to come

Photo: PICTURES by ALAN HOWARTH.

GOAL SALUTE: Jonathan Forte points to the supporters after equalising for Athletic at Walsall on Saturday.

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DAVID Dunn’s debut whetted his manager Darren Kelly’s appetite as Athletic got the season off to a positive start.

The former Blackburn Rovers man came off the substitutes’ bench at the Banks’s Stadium in the 67th minute to help inspire a late assault on the Walsall goal.

Jonathan Forte, another substitute, was on target with a well-controlled volley off a Jake Cassidy cross in the 83rd minute to level things up at 1-1.

With Dunn pulling the strings, Kelly’s men piled on the pressure to claim three points.

And having only trained for one full week with Athletic, Kelly says there is far more to come from the 35-year-old ex-England midfielder.

“David is still a bit off and he will tell you that himself,” said Kelly. “The more game time he gets, the more training time he gets, the more beneficial it will be for him and it adds quality to the team.

“You see the quality in his play and he is still a couple of weeks off being match fit.”

Forte and Danny Philliskirk impressed off the bench along with Dunn. Another recent signing, Middlesbrough loan defender Jonathan Burn, was superb at the back on his professional debut.

Athletic have had confirmation that Burn can play against his parent club in the home Capital One Cup first-round tie on Wednesday night: “He was excellent,” Kelly said of the centre back. “He only came in this week and it gives an idea of what he is about. He was terrific and coped with their strikers very well — especially given the quality they have.”

Kelly said he was blown away by the almost-1,000 supporters who travelled to Walsall.

“I’m not joking — it gave me goosebumps,” he said. “I think their voice made that goal happen and it was great to get it at that time as well. They were immense, and you heard them from start to finish.”



ATHLETIC face a trip to Shrewsbury Town in the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

The game will be played on the week beginning Monday, August 31.



DARREN Kelly’s job could be under threat already, according to a report in the national media over the weekend.

The brief report, which seemed to be repeated rumours that have circulated for some time, suggested David Dunn would be the main name in the frame in the event of Kelly’s exit.