Baxter - Fitness is key

Jose Baxter admits fitness could be a key factor if Athletic are to be challenging towards the top end of League Two next season.

Baxter, aged 26, rejoined Athletic last month and the club is set to give the former Everton youngster a second chance following some well-documented off-field problems.

Baxter has replaced some of the faith placed in him already as he scored in Tuesday night's opening 3-1 pre-season friendly match win at Ashton United.

“It was great," said Baxter.

"The fans were out in numbers and to be fair, Ashton came out and gave a go.

“They have a good team and it was a really good game of football.

“It’s always good to get a goal. Even though its pre-season its good to get your confidence back up and I think as a team tonight we started working on stuff the managers brought in and we’re buying into it.

“I think you could see that what we’ve been working on in training is working on the pitch.”

Second-half substitute Baxter picked up an injury after scoring, but confirmed it was nothing to worry about.

“It’s alright," he added.

"I just hyperextended my leg a little bit. It just jarred me, the back of my leg a little bit but I think I should be fine in a few days.”

Athletic head to Curzon Ashton tomorrow (Saturday) and Baxter knows how crucial a good level of match fitness will prove to be.

He said: “You need to have a good pre-season behind you.

“The gaffer has worked us hard and it’s enjoyable.

“It’s not just ‘get on the pitch and run’. It’s enjoyable work and we need it.

“The only way to get promoted in this league is to be one of the fittest teams.”

Athletic are believed to be running the rule over a former Championship midfielder as they continue their build-up to the start of the new season.

Former Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town player Giles Coke was one of a number of trialists named on the team sheet for the win at Hurst Cross on Tuesday.

Coke, who appeared in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town between 2012 and 2017, spent much of last season at the Proact Stadium but only made one appearance for Chesterfield prior to their relegation to the National League.

A spokesman for Athletic confirmed that Coke is one of a number of players they’re looking at:

“Giles is one of a number of players the manager is looking at at the moment.”

Should Coke put pen to paper on a deal at Boundary Park, it would add Athletic to a long list of clubs the 32-year-old has appeared for including Mansfield Town, Northampton Town, Motherwell, Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon Town, Bury, Bolton Wanderers and Ipswich Town.

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