Winchester reaps reward

STAR PERFORMER . . . Carl Winchester has set an example to other players at the club. PICTURE by ALAN HOWARTH.

CARL Winchester has been unlucky to be out of the side lately — but there was nothing lucky about his recall and man of the match performance against Sheffield United.

After the man from Belfast shone in the home draw with the Blades, Athletic manager David Dunn said his return to the starting line-up after four games out was down to Winchester making a persuasive case in training.

The 22 year old, last season’s fans’ player of the year, hasn’t had much of a look-in since playing 90 minutes in Dunn’s first game in charge at Doncaster.

But after purposeful movement and clever passing, Dunn said Winchester has shown the sort of attitude required by every player who finds himself out of the team.

“Carl was excellent,” said Dunn, who is targeting his first win as manager at out of form Swindon tomorrow night. “He was probably a little unlucky after the Doncaster game. He worked hard there and did everything I asked of him, so he probably felt a bit unlucky.

“One of the reasons why he got back in the side was that for the last two weeks, his attitude has been first-class. He has worked his socks off every single day in training.”

Ricardo Fuller made his debut off the bench and will probably do so again at the County Ground tomorrow, but Athletic will miss Jonathan Burn, who serves a one-match ban after being sent off for picking up two bookings against Sheffield United.



TOMORROW’S opponents Swindon, who lost 2-0 at Millwall, have sacked their manager Mark Cooper with chairman Lee Power reportedly taking over the reins while he hunts for a replacement.