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8th February 2002

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Oldham Evening Chronicle (www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk) Colusso cleared for Latics debut ATHLETIC are set to unleash the Three Million Dollar Man tomorrow when they face arch promotion rivals Brighton at Boundary Park. Cristian Colusso celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday by gaining international clearance from the Argentinian FA. Colusso, described by coach Mick Wadsworth as an artist with a great brain, goes straight into Athletic’s big-match squad. He is on loan from Rosario Central to the end of the season and the South American club rate him at three million dollars (£2million) – a fee which would smash Athletic’s transfer record if they signed him permanently. Wadsworth said: “It’s a bit too early for him to start because he was only halfway through pre-season training in Argentina. But he has a lot of talent and he will be involved. “Cristian is a playmaker. He can beat a man, play a very clever pass and he has a lovely left foot.” Colusso is the first Argentinian to sign for Athletic, who can now field an entire team of non-English players. His entry makes tomorrow an even bigger day for the club, with Wadsworth admitting second-placed Brighton will provide an acid test. “It’s a huge game,” the coach added. “The next three weeks are tough and they could be the absolute indication of our ability to reach the play-offs. “It’s down to the wire and our motivation is purely and simply to finish in the top six. “We know what’s required and there are some big-game players here – it’s a great chance for people like John Sheridan, David Reeves, Matty Appleby and Carlo Corazzin to do something nearer the end of their careers than the beginning.” Athletic, who haven’t lost a home league match for over three months, are urging supporters to turn out in force. Striker Allan Smart is back in the squad after missing last week’s win at Notts County because his wife was in labour. ATHLETIC (from): Rachubka, McNiven, Beharall, Baudet, Armstrong, Murray, Appleby, J Sheridan, Eyres, Corazzin, Reeves, Kelly, Balmer, Duxbury, Colusso, Smart, Holden, Rickers. BRIGHTON (from): Kuipers, Pethick, Cullip, Morgan, Watson, Oatway, Carpenter, Rogers, Jones, Hart, Zamora, Webb, Brooker, Mayo, Lee, Virgo, Steele, Melton, Packham. Former trainees Phil Salt and Ryan Sugden have had their contracts terminated by mutual consent. Salt, the 22-year-old Oldham-born midfielder, and Sugden (21), who made his debut aged 18, are expected to join former team-mates Mark Hotte and Paul Shepherd at Conference club Scarborough. Hitman Bobby on goal beat THE most feared marksman in division two is lying in wait for Athletic as they build up to tomorrow’s match at Boundary Park. Bobby Zamora has been the subject of £2million transfer bids, been watched by a host of Premiership managers and shot to national prominence . . . yet he is still leading the front line for Brighton. Zamora (21) has an astonishing record for the Seagulls, who are successfully chasing promotion on the back of his goalscoring exploits. On loan from Bristol Rovers two years ago, he managed a goal a game to earn his permanent transfer. Last season – his first as a Football League regular – he hit the net 31 times in all competitions. And this term has already brought a 25-goal haul, putting him a country mile ahead of every other striker in the division. It’s no wonder Zamora is coveted by rival clubs. He has everything you could wish for in a centre-forward, combining pace, strength, cool temperament, instinctive finishing, goals from close range and goals from distance. Many of his strikes come from a basic tactic, namely drifting to the back post and waiting for good service to arrive, but that will be tough to handle for an Athletic side who can be vulnerable on crosses. Zamora certainly isn’t the finished article, otherwise a rich club would have taken the plunge by now and made an offer Brighton couldn’t refuse. But it seems only a matter of time until he leaves as Leicester, Southampton and Everton are known to be admirers. Zamora is the latest of many strikers to roll off the Bristol Rovers production line, with Jamie Cureton (Reading), Jason Roberts (West Brom) and Barry Hayles (Fulham) his immediate predecessors.Rovers let him go for £100,000, believing they had a better prospect in Nathan Ellington – they may prove correct, but Brighton must be delirious at unearthing such a bargain. Former England coach Peter Taylor is the man feeling the benefit these days as he took charge in October, shortly after being sacked by Leicester. A loan player for Athletic in the early ’80s, he had a virtual job-swap with Micky Adams, who moved to Filbert Street as assistant boss. Taylor marked his appointment with a 3-0 home win, exploiting Athletic’s worst display of the season near the end of Andy Ritchie’s reign. It was the usual home-ground story for Brighton – there has been only one defeat in 13 months at the Withdean Stadium – but they are also resilient on their travels and have lost fewer games this term (four) than any other team in the Nationwide League. A fine defensive record, in which Dutch goalkeeper Michels Kuipers has been the star performer, shows that Athletic will face a tough test at both ends. They certainly can’t afford the blundering which proved costly in the last match at Boundary Park, when struggling Bournemouth drew 3-3. There is plenty of room for optimism as keeping Zamora quiet could silence Brighton altogether – only one other player has scored more than four for them this season. That’s easier said than done, but it’s the sort of task Athletic must complete if they are to prove themselves worthy contenders at the top.

Official Brighton & Hove Albion Web Site (www.seagulls.co.uk) Oldham Pre-Match: "We Are a Muck And Bullets Team"
Albion manager Peter Taylor looked back with some satisfaction after his side ground out two valuable wins in the last week. "We need to continue to do what we have done in the last two games", he said at the training ground this morning. "We need to outwork the opposition. We don't pay the top wages that enable us to go out and get players like Graham Kavanagh or Jason Koumas, who we can turn down £2million offers for. We have not got that sort of money and, at the moment, we are playing against lots of teams who are bigger than us. And by that I don't mean crowd potential because we are superb in that respect. "I think that sometimes a result like Brentford can, in a strange way, help the club, from the Chairman down to the players and the supporters. When you go and get deservedly thumped 4-0, it brings a certain reality back to the situation and stops you getting carried away. "People have got to realise that the type of performances that we have witnessed in the last two games are the reason why we are up near the top of the division. It is not because we out-pass anybody for 90 minutes because we don't. We'd like to be as good as that but unfortunately we are not. "We are a muck and bullets team who are very honest, and we happen to have a fantastic goalscorer. That is what we are about. "The supporters have been superb in the last two games and have really helped the team. There was one moment at the start of the second half against Tranmere when it was very quiet. That is when they can really help us by making a lot of noise because it does give the players a lift. Taylor also revealed that he is looking for ways to strengthen the squad and the imminent arrival of Junior Lewis will help in that respect. "I've also involved Chris McPhee and Dean Hammond in the first team training schedules recently. I'm trying to gear up the squad so that I have 25 or 26 players available for the run-in and we may see a couple more new faces. "I will also be trying different options on the bench. With your squad you need to try and cover every position both from an injury and tactical perspective." Taylor reviewed the forthcoming match at Boundary Park. "Oldham are in a very good position. They are will need some watching. They have good players, and Micky Wadsworth has been active in the transfer market again recently, picking up an Argentinian lad amongst others, and I'm expecting a real tough match. "John Sheridan is an excellent passer. If you give him lots of time with the ball then he will hurt you. He is a great set-piece taker and a great midfielder. But as we did with Kavanagh and Koumas we will be paying him special attention as we would always do with any clubs best player. "It's going to be a massive game. Everybody in this division are desperate to keep winning to get into the promotion race and that is where our players here have done so well. At the start of the season Brighton would not have been one of the names on peoples lists for promotion. "Oldham are in very good form, Micky [Wadsworth] has gone there and they really have turned it around and all-of-a-sudden they are play-off contenders, but so were Tranmere when they visited us on Tuesday. That was the first time they had lost in 13 matches and if we can do that again it will be tremendous. If we can get something out of this match then we are really giving ourselves a chance." From his own sides perspective, Taylor has no worries. "We have no injuries. There are one or two tired legs because of the testing conditions but I have a full squad to select from. Michel's leg is getting better and better. He's feeling it a bit after matches but it is improving. I've sent him to see someone and between him and Malcolm [Stuart] they have done really well and he'll soon be 100% free of it."

A Look at OldhamWhen Oldham came down to Withdean in October it was Peter Taylor's first home game in charge of the team. 28 minutes into the match the Albion led 3-0 and the game was effectively over. Andy Richie, the then Oldham manager, came out for the second half with a defensive formation designed to prevent any further embarrassment. That victory remains Peter Taylor's biggest in his Albion career to date, and also marked the beginning of the end of Ritchie's spell in charge at Boundary Park, and he was dismissed eleven days later as Oldham slid down the league table after a very promising early season start. His replacement, Mick Wadsworth, has reversed the slide and has got the Latics playing some very attractive football once again. They are currently unbeaten at home in the league since his arrival, a run of seven matches, and they are on the edge of the playoff zone in seventh place. Tomorrow's encounter promises to be a lot tighter that that Withdean afternoon. Only Reading and Bristol City have won in the league at Boundary Park this term, and both of those victories was by the odd goal. Wadsworth, returning to management after two years out following spells at Carlisle, Scarborough and Colchester in the 1990s, has strengthened the side by bringing in Paul Murray and David Reeves, on free transfers from Southampton and Chesterfield respectively. Midfielder Murray, who joined the Saints in a £300,000 move from QPR in the summer, made only one substitute appearance in his five months at St.Mary's and was considered surplus to requirements by Gordon Strachan upon his arrival. Having gone from the First Division to the Premiership, he now finds himself in Division Two and the former England U21 International now has something to prove. He has issued a plea to Latics supporters in advance of this weekend's clash. "If the fans can get behind us on Saturday I am sure it will only help us in what is a huge game against Brighton", he said on the club's official website. "With 15 games to go there are some big games and big performances needed by the players, the more fans who come will only help us improve our performance. We are concentrating on what we will do, not the opposition and who they are. I think it will be great if we can take points off them and I feel we play better against the better teams in the division." Reeves, the veteran northern striker with nearly 700 games and 202 goals under his belt, is at his 9th league club since staring off his career in the top flight with Sheffield Wednesday. He joined the Latics in January after a brief loan spell in which he netted three times in three games and also sees this match as the 'Game of the Season'. "Brighton will know that they're in for a tough ride coming here", he said. "The lads have done well here at home and there is no reason why we shouldn't keep that up. We have got within touching distance of the play-offs, but Saturday will be our biggest test so far. we have to get a result." Wadsworth has also brought in no less than four loan players. Defender Matty Appleby has come in on a one-month spell from Barnsley which the Latics hope to convert into a permanent move, while Argentinian under-23 International midfielder Cristian Colusso arrived from Rosario Central earlier this week for the remainder of the season. He is unlikely to figure tomorrow as he is waiting for International clearance. He has also picked up young Manchester United goalkeeper Paul Rachubka and Newcastle defender David Beharall on long-term loans from their Premiership clubs, and this is in addition to Bolton defender Dean Holden whose season-long loan was negotiated by his predecessor Richie. Despite the flux of loan players from higher clubs, by far the star within the Oldham camp is John Sheridan. The veteran former Leeds, Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton midfielder, now 37, is having a new lease of life at Boundary Park and has produced some sparkling displays in the centre of midfield. David Eyres is another old-timer who is fast approaching his 38th birthday and yet he is still turning on the style and remains Oldham's most prolific attacker. With ten goals already this season he is proving unshakeable from the side. Also worthy of note is 19-year-old Chris Armstrong, a £200,000 capture from Bury two days after the Withdean match. His consistency in the Oldham defence has been one reason why they have climbed back up the table. In recent head-to-heads Oldham have the edge, other than the most recent encounter, although it is eleven seasons since the sides last met on a regular basis. Oldham did the double back then (1990-1991) winning the home fixture 6-1. You have to go back to March 1979, and the last Albion side to win promotion to the top flight, to unearth the last Albion victory at Boundary Park when they prevailed 3-1. Expected Line-upKuipers; Pethick, Cullip, Morgan, Watson; Hart, Oatway, Rogers (Capt.), Carpenter, Jones; Zamora
Subs: (from) Packham, Mayo, Virgo, Melton, Lee, Lewis, Steele, Webb, Brooker

TEAMtalk (www.teamtalk.co.uk) Colusso set for debut
New signing Christian Colusso will make his debut against Brighton tomorrow but Matthew Tipton will miss out with an ankle injury. Colusso, who is on loan for the rest of the season, was finally given the nod to make his first appearance for the club when his long-awaited international clearance arrived just before five o'clock on Thursday evening. Wales Under-21 striker Tipton lost his battle for fitness when he suffered an ankle knock in a midweek reserve team game. There is also a call-up for striker Allan Smart who missed last week's win at Notts County because of a new family arrival, baby daughter Kara. The Latics are hoping for one of their biggest gates of the season. The inclusion of Colusso, who has played for Argentina at Under-20 and Under-23 levels, plus the visit of Brighton's exciting 25-goal top scorer Bobby Zamora, it should be a mouth-watering contest. Boss Mick Wadsworth knows it will put his side's pedigree to the test against the second-placed visitors. The Seagulls were last season's Third Division champions and they are going for another automatic spot this time around. But The Latics are unbeaten at home in the league with Wadsworth in charge and are the division's top scorers with 55 goals in 31 games.
Wadsworth said: "It is a huge game for us. They are one of the better sides in the division as their position suggests and you can be sure they will have done their homework. "But if you have ambitions to be a big side then you have to go out and beat big teams. "And if you take points off promotion-chasing sides above you at a crucial stage of the season, then you are giving your own hopes a boost. "It is going to be tough. But we should be in for an exciting afternoon and I am looking forward to it with confidence." Latics (from): Rachubka, McNiven, Beharall, Baudet, Armstrong, Murray, J Sheridan, Colusso, Eyres, Corazzin, Reeves, Smart, Duxbury, Balmer, Holden, Kelly.

Duo released
Two of the longest serving players at the club, Ryan Sugden and Phil Salt, have had their contracts cancelled by mutual consent. Striker Sugden and midfielder Salt were due for renewals in the summer, but both have failed to gain a regular first-team place at Boundary Park and have been allowed to move on. Sugden, 21, arrived at The Latics School of Excellence 10 years ago but played only 25 games for the first team, scoring once. Local lad Salt, 22, who was a YTS kid from Ashton United juniors, scored two goals in 32 appearances for the club. Chief executive Alan Hardy explained: "We are letting them go now so they can get fixed up before the mad rush at the end of the season." Both players are expected to join Conference strugglers Scarborough. Two other former Latics players, Paul Shepherd and Mark Hotte, are already involved in Boro's battle against relegation.

Jones aiming for return Paul Jones is stepping up his efforts to make a first-team return as he looks to convince Mick Wadsworth that he is worth a new contract. The injury-plagued defender, who hasn't played for over a year following a number of problems, is now back running. But with the season coming to an end he is unlikely to play for The Latics again.
His contract is up in the summer and Wadsworth has since brought other players in ahead of him. However, there is better news for Tony Carss and Wayne Gill.
The two midfielders have been in plaster with ankle ligament damage but are now nearing full fitness.

Under-19s clash postponed The Latics' Under-19s will once again be without a game this weekend after their clash with Blackpool was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. The game was due to take place at Chapel Road on Saturday morning but will now be rescheduled. Kuipers another clean sheet
Michel Kuipers will look for his third successive clean sheet at Oldham tomorrow as The Seagulls continue their bid for automatic promotion. First-choice goalkeeper Kuipers has kept clean sheets in both of the matches he has started since returning from a seven-game lay-off. And the 27-year-old Dutchman will be hoping to keep that run going and help Albion to their fifth win in six games against an Oldham side who are currently just one place outside the play-off zone. Rookie keeper Will Packham will again be named on the bench as a precaution, but Kuipers says he is feeling no effects of the thigh injury which forced him to miss so many matches.
The former Bristol City stopper added: "The injury is getting better all the time and the level of pain was much higher than it is now, so hopefully in a few days I will be 100 per cent. "The physio got Robbie Pethick to take the goal kicks against Tranmere in mid-week, but that was just to help me out. I feel fine."
Manager Peter Taylor is expected to name an unchanged side from the one that beat Tranmere 1-0 on Tuesday as Brighton look to close the gap on Second Division leaders Reading. Brighton (from): Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Morgan, Rogers, Hart, Oatway, Carpenter, Jones, Zamora, Pethick, Mayo, Brooker, Jones, Packham, Lee, Webb.

Seagulls complete Lewis swoop
Brighton have completed the three-month loan signing of Leicester City's Junior Lewis and he could make his debut against Oldham on Saturday. The former Gillingham man, who joined the Premiership side for £150,000 in March last year, found himself out in the cold following Peter Taylor's departure from Filbert Street. And, following his arrival at the Withdean, the former England boss has been attempting to bring Lewis to the south coast. The move was, however, put on hold as The Seagulls wanted him until the end of the season to help in their push for promotion to the First Division. But he has now completed the temporary switch which ends on May 11 and will be available to play in the Second Division play-offs - if Albion are unable to secure an automatic promotion spot - and looks set to go straight into the side for the trip to Boundary Park. If the rangy midfielder impresses then Taylor is expected to try and make the move permanent for a nominal fee during the summer.

Lewis backed by Taylor
Junior Lewis, on loan for the rest of the season, was backed by Peter Taylor to silence his critics after he signed him for the fourth time. The Leicester midfielder moved to The Withdean today and Taylor believes he can put a nightmare few months behind him and help The Seagulls gain promotion to Division One. Lewis, who has played under Taylor at Dover, Gillingham and Leicester, encountered more criticism than he has praise after completing a move to Filbert Street. But Taylor insists the man he bought for £50,000 at the start of last season has not suddenly become a bad player overnight. The Seagulls boss added: "Junior has taken a lot of stick which isn't fair at all. He has been made out to be a nightmare signing, but people forget how cheaply I bought him for. "Junior can play in almost any position and that is a big plus point for us. It's like signing three players all at once." Lewis was ready to join Albion as early as last month, but Taylor has deliberately held back so that he would be available for the play-off final on May 11 if required. "The timing off it all has worked out well and the results have not suffered too much in Junior's absence," said Taylor.
Lewis is expected to be named in the Brighton squad for tomorrow's game at Oldham although the 28-year-old is not likely to be included in the starting line-up.

Cullip joins 100 club
Long-serving defender Danny Cullip will make his 100th Albion appearance at Boundary Park tomorrow if he plays at the heart of the back-line. The 25-year-old, now in his third season with the Sussex side, played 38 games as The Seagulls won promotion from Division Three last term and 33 in the 1999-2000 season. The former Oxford United and Fulham centre-back joined Albion from Brentford in a £50,000 deal three years ago.

Further talks planned
Matty Appleby will hold further talks with Oldham in a bid to resolve his future, as he looks to secure a move to Boundary Park. The two parties held initial talks earlier this week and further negotiations are expected to take place next week. The midfielder has done well during his spell on loan with The Latics, which comes to an end next weekend. Appleby, who will be out of contract in the summer, is keen to secure a firm offer, but Steve Parkin has not ruled-out the possibility of Oldham trying to extend his loan spell. Barnsley would no doubt be willing to let Appleby remain with The Latics for a second month.

Brighton Argus www.thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk Pethick may do it for kicks

Robbie Pethick is on standby for Albion at Oldham tomorrow, as an emergency goalkicker. The rightback took the goalkicks in the second half of Tuesday's 1-0 home win over Tranmere after Michel Kuipers suffered a recurrence of a thigh injury. Boss Peter Taylor said: "We have just got to be a bit careful. There is not a threat that Michel is going to miss a match, he is just struggling a little bit with his kicking. "Robbie Pethick strikes a fantastic ball anyway. He gets long distance, so that helps us a little bit." Kuipers bids to complete a hat-trick of clean sheets at Boundary Park since returning from the thigh problem which ruled him out for seven matches. "I felt it during the Tranmere game, so as a precaution Robbie Pethick took the goalkicks in the second half," explained the big Dutchman. "I kicked in the first half, but the physio (Malcolm Stuart) said it was better to be cautious. "It's the same injury and it is getting better all the time. The level of pain was much higher than it is now, so hopefully in a few days I will be 100 per cent." Rookie Will Packham was on the bench on Tuesday as cover for Kuipers and he is likely to retain that role for the rest of Albion's promotion challenge. Taylor defends new signing

Albion boss Peter Taylor clinched the signing of Junior Lewis for the third time last night, then rounded on critics of the player. The versatile 28-year-old has joined the Seagulls' promotion challenge on a three-month loan from Leicester. He goes straight into the squad for tomorrow's trip to Oldham, although Taylor said: "He probably won't start." Lewis has been out-of-favour at Filbert Street since Taylor was sacked and Dave Bassett and former Albion boss Micky Adams took charge. "He has taken a lot of stick, which isn't fair at all," Taylor said. "He has been mentioned in the papers as a nightmare signing, but people forget he only cost £50,000 and I think he could still do a job for Leicester now." The capture of Lewis ends an on-off saga dating back to Christmas, when Taylor's interest in a player he previously signed for Gillingham and Leicester and inherited at Dover first became public knowledge. By delaying his arrival until now Taylor has ensured he will be available through to the Division Two play-off final on May 11. His signing was thrown into doubt by an injury crisis at Leicester. Lewis has been an unused sub in their last three games, but The Argus revealed yesterday that Taylor had resurrected the deal. "The timing of it has worked well and results have not suffered too much," Taylor said. "I'm very pleased with it. Junior can play in almost any position and that is why I have been patient. It's like signing three players. "In the play-off final at Gillingham he played all over the place, in midfield, at leftback and in the end on the left wing. "My mind changed about his best position at Leicester when he played at the back and looked the most comfortable." Taylor believes Albion's challenge will benefit from the experience Lewis gained in Gillingham's successful Second Division promotion run-in two seasons ago. Taylor has happy memories of Oldham. He spent four games on loan there from Leyton Orient during his playing days and on his last visit as a manager two years ago Gillingham won 3-1 on their way to promotion via the play-offs. Taylor also launched his Albion reign with a 3-0 win over the Latics at Withdean in October . Danny Cullip makes his 100th League appearance for the club in the centre of defence as the Seagulls try to keep the pressure on leaders Reading with a fifth win out of six.

Contributions and letters should be sent to Gary Davies by e-mail at LaticsGary@ntlworld.comor at Boundary Bullet-zine,41 Verney Road,Royton,Oldham,United Kingdom.OL2 6AZ07786 928689Or in the Setons Chaddy end Row R Seats 67 & 68Boundary Bullet-zine Archive can be found at http://www.oocities.org/laticsgary.geo.The views expressed on this e-zine are not the views of Oldham Athletic F.C. nor necessarily the views of the Editor.This e-zine is a unofficial publication NOT sanctioned by Oldham Athletic Football Club.The editor will not publish any letters containing bad language.This e-zine is written using Microsoft Outlook Express and is best viewed with the HTML (rich) text option enabled.