Latics in Stankevicius swoop

DARREN KELLY . . . “we must put our stamp on game.”

ATHLETIC are poised to sign Leicester City striker Simonas Stankevicius on loan.

The 10-cap Lithuania international (19), who is a regular in the Premier League club’s under-21s side and came on as a substitute in the Euro 2016 qualifier against England last season, is expected to hand manager Darren Kelly a boost by going straight into the squad for tomorrow’s big derby clash at Bury.

Stankevicius is believed to be arriving on a deal in which Athletic are contributing very little in terms of wages, and paying no fee.

His only previous experience of first-team football here has been in five appearances for Conference side Nuneaton.

But he represents what Athletic hope will be an ideal stand-in for injured target man Jake Cassidy, as the club bid to march up the Sky Bet League One table.

Meanwhile, Athletic’s clash at Bury may not get the international recognition of other major derbies, but for manager Kelly three points in front of a big away crowd would mean the world.

With one day of sales for the all-ticket affair left, Athletic fans had bought 1,752 of the allocated 2,800 spaces at Gigg Lane.

The prospect of his unbeaten side getting the upper hand tomorrow — which could put Athletic in the play-off places — has whetted Kelly’s appetite in the week his side has lost skipper Liam Kelly for up to six weeks.

“Local derbies are massive for the clubs and supporters involved,” Kelly said. “It’s really important we put our stamp on it, to show what we can do.

“I was told the ticket sales figure the other day and was blown away by it. As I have said from day one, the support has been amazing home and away, and the fans have really got behind the team."

Another player linked with a loan move to Athletic is Chelsea’s Scotland under-21 international forward Islam Feruz. The former Celtic youth prospect had a brief loan at Blackpool last year.

Joseph Mills’s recovery from a tight hamstring will allow Timothee Dieng to move up to a defensive midfield role alongside Danny Philliskirk in Kelly’s absence tomorrow.

If Stankevicius begins his Athletic career on the bench, the starting line-up is otherwise likely to be similar to that which drew 1-1 against Shrewsbury.

Another new signing, Mark Yeates, will take a place as a substitute for the first time.