Gerrard shows off positive outlook

Anthony Gerrard made an instant impact as Athletic beat his former club Shrewsbury on Tuesday night.

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CLEAN-SHEET specialist Anthony Gerrard is delighted to be playing for a wage again with Athletic as he aims to fulfil a twin goal: to keep his new club up and to get back to Championship play.

The 29-year-old centre back turned down a contract at Shrewsbury in a bid to prove his worth.

Gerrard is wih Oldham until the end of the season and will aim to fulfil manager John Sheridan’s stated

target of eight more wins to ensure safety.

“I was asking people if I could go in and train and was getting knocked back right, left and centre,” said Gerrard, who was turned down nine times by clubs pre-season before joining Shrewsbury on non-contract terms.

“Championship sides and decent League One sides were just saying ‘no’,” he said. “But I was happy to play for Shrewsbury, and I’m happy to play for Latics again. I want to be back in the Championship, but I also need to earn a wage.

“So I’m here in Oldham to hopefully get some security and give the club some security to stay in League One.”

The defensive leader wants the team’s focus to remain on teamwork and positivity: “We have had a good start and it wasn’t just the back four,” added Gerrard. “Everyone put in a shift.

“That’s what it’s all about. There are 19 games to the end of the season and we need to perform as we did at Shrewsbury in the majority of them.”

Gerrard is Sheridan’s second signing since his return, after Matt Palmer. He wants to bring in two more, including a striker, befoe the transfer window closes on Monday night.

Sheridan is likely to want to renew the loans of Burnley duo Cameron Dummigan and Danny Lafferty before Athletic’s home game against Blackpool on February 6.