St Anne's look to young guns

KIERAN McGinnity is one of a host Saints youngsters

SEAN Whitehead and Paul Ashton return to the coalface for Oldham St Anne's for a second season.

And while the coaching duo at Higginshaw Road are definitely not ones to shout from the rooftops about their young side's prospects in National Conference League Division Three, there is a degree of satisfaction at the direction the club as a whole is moving in.

There is a sprinkling of experience around, but this is a squad that brims with players still very much learning the finer details of the men's game.

Take the back line that played in the Standard Cup victory against Fitton Hill.

At 22-years-old, Ryan Powell was one of the oldest Saints players on the pitch. And even in the half-backs, Luke Skilling and Matthew Whitehead are 19 and 20 respectively.

Add in teenagers Joe Hartley, Paul Ainsworth, Sam Akeroyd and Kieran McGinnity, then Saints will look to give some of the elders the run-around.

RECEPTIVE

Sean Whitehead, who says he enjoys working with players receptive to new ideas, says that the ultimate goals extend beyond improving on last season's sixth-placed finish in what was ultimately a nine-team division.

"We have a very young squad, but there are a group of players who graduated from the under-18s last season who will be much better for a year's experience of playing in the men's game," said Whitehead.

"We do have a handful of experienced lads as well, but really it is a young side that we have here.

"There is a plan in place at the club that will take three or four years to work through. And what we have got here is a good sense of togetherness that runs right through the club.

"There is a conveyor belt of kids coming through and a lot of talent among them.

"Talk of getting promoted is not what we are about. We are realistic.

"We have kids - good kids - and if we keep them fit, maybe we might shock a few people. Who knows?"