Where there’s a ‘Wil’ there’s a way

Brian Wilson

BRIAN Wilson is set to continue forging a partnership with namesake James in the heart of Athletic’s defence, tonight attempting to keep out a Southend outfit containing several of his former team-mates.

Wilson (32) looked a certainty to leave in the summer after previous manager Darren Kelly tried to get him off the club’s wage bill.

But after a trial at Notts County didn’t work out, the ex-Colchester defender was back at SportsDirect.com Park.

And with loan men Eoghan O’Connell and Jonathan Burn sustaining long-term injuries, a steady and experienced player more usually employed as a right-back has shone in the centre, with his reading of the game alongside his former Bristol City colleague proving a boon for his manager David Dunn.

“The previous manager put it to me that I wouldn’t really be involved, so I felt it was best to play games elsewhere if I could,” said Wilson, who played for the Magpies in pre-season while Athletic’s squad was at a training camp in Stirling.

“Things changed and now, it is what it is. You can’t moan as a professional and I was still contracted to Oldham Athletic, so I had to do right by the club and by myself and work hard and once my chance came, take it.

“I have played (centre-back) at previous clubs, but not in any great number of games consecutively.

“It can be different physically, if coming up against big strong strikers, but it is mainly positional with talking and reading the game.”

Wilson, in the last year of his Athletic deal, felt that the strong comeback in the second half against Barnsley should not mask a weak opening.

Hunting a first home league win in nine outings against the Shrimpers tonight, he is looking to get one over on his former Colchester colleagues John White, Ben Coker and David Mooney.

“We are not starting games well and it is costing us,” Wilson added. “We can’t afford to go down in games, going 1-0 down and playing well in short spells.

“We need to get that balance right and once we do, we will be better for it.

TOUGH

“Southend have been grinding out some decent results and I know four or five of their players who were with Colchester with me.

“It will be a tough game, but one we can win and need to win, going into a big week with the Crewe fixture as well.”

PLAYER GUIDE . . .

Athletic will need to breach a Southend defence whose last line is the highly rated goalkeeper Daniel Bentley (22), the subject of a failed £1.25 million bid from QPR.

In front of him, wise old head Adam Barrett marshals matters at the back, while ex-Athletic loan winger David Worrall will aim to provide the ammunition for target man David Mooney.

HEAD TO HEAD . . .

Athletic 11 wins, 10 draws, 12 defeats.

LAST MEETING . . .

December 13, 2011 (FA Cup second-round replay): Athletic 1 (Taylor), Southend 0.

TACTICS BOARD . . .

Manager Phil Brown lines up with two wingers and an advanced midfielder Jack Payne just behind Mooney, as he chases back-to-back victories following on from Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to Blackpool.

“It is the start of a big week for us,” Brown said. “We’re going to Oldham with renewed confidence now and we are looking forward to it.”

LINE-UP . . . 4-4-1-1

Bentley; White, Thompson, Barrett, Coker; Hurst, Leonard, Atkinson, Worrall; Payne; Mooney.