Yeates has key role for Latics

GIVE ME THE BALL . . . Mark Yeates never hides during games, says Manager.

MARK Yeates may be around to write another chapter in his book of extraordinary FA Cup stories come next year.

First, the winger will have to help Athletic get past the tough nuts of Mansfield tonight at SportsDirect.com Park.

But even if the 30-year-old from Tallaght — one of the brighter attack-minded players in the first clash at Field Mill — manages to assist his current side in doing just that, at present it is not clear if he will even get to feature at his former club, Sheffield United.

That’s because the second round is being played out on the weekend of Saturday, December 5. Yeates’s short-term contract expires before then, at the end of this month.

Manager David Dunn ideally wants to keep the former Colchester and Blades man, who scored as Bradford memorably knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup last season, beyond that.

“Mark has done well in the last few weeks, since he came back into the side,” said Dunn, who could start Yeates on the left of midfield again tonight. “He is a good outlet for us.

“People in football at times get carried away with goals and assists but nobody really says anything about chances created. And he creates plenty, even though we may not score from them.

“No matter how well or how poorly we are playing, he always wants the ball and it is a real big plus.”

Whether Yeates stays or goes could depend on budgetary restraints, which will be affected by Athletic’s continued involvement in the knock-out competition.

Elsewhere in midfield, Dunn also has hopes of having Jay Fulton at his disposal beyond the turn of the New Year.

However, it may be that the classy midfield operator and Scotland under-21 international might not feature at this stage for fear of becoming cup-tied.

“Jay is obviously a Swansea player and played in the cup games for them last year,” Dunn said.

“He probably feels there is a good chance for him to go and play football for Swansea at some point, as we only have him until the end of December. I can understand it.

“I would love to keep him. He’s a really good player who handles the ball really well, takes it in tight areas and gets us playing.

“He is certainly a player I rate highly and we have missed him.”

Athletic enter tonight’s game in high spirits, turning around a losing position at Chesterfield on Saturday in a game Spireites boss Dean Saunders claimed was close to being called off.

Dunn, though, said he was told nothing along those lines by the officials as the rain poured on to the pitch at the Proact Stadium.

“As a footballer, surely we have all played in the rain before?” Dunn said.

“I used to love it when the pitch was wet. That’s why you get the ground staff to sprinkle it.

“Certainly none of our players complained.”