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[Darren]

Abbey Hey
7:00pm Friday 11th July 2008

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By Connor Murphy »

ALTY will take on an unfamiliar look when they kick off their preseason campaign at Abbey Hey tomorrow.

Although the Robins are set to field a strong side against the Gorton-based outfit, there will only be a few recognisable faces on display.

Surprisingly, one of them will be centre half Peter Band.
The 34-year-old departed Moss Lane last summer to join Blue Square North side Hyde United but has been training with the Robins this summer and Heathcote is keen to take a closer look at him as he seeks a replacement for Darren Tinson.

Otherwise, the starting line-up is set to include Chris Senior, Robbie Lawton and Greg Young from last year's squad, while the rest will be made up of new signings and trialists.

Alty fans will get their first look at both Anthony Danylyk and Dale Johnson, although the latter will be limited to 45 minutes as he recovers from a hamstring problem.

Among the trialists set to figure are defender Natt Kerr and forward Luke Horrocks, both of whom featured for bitter rivals Northwich last season, former Plymouth trainee Matthew Holt and ex-Worcester and Leigh RMI keeper James Coates.

[joe]

Surely we've got to be looking at better quality than Peter Band to play alongside Greg Young next season!

[im not really here]

Is it April Fools' Day?

[Saughall Robin]

Surprisingly, one of them will be centre half Peter Band.
The 34-year-old departed Moss Lane last summer to join Blue Square North side Hyde United but has been training with the Robins this summer and Heathcote is keen to take a closer look at him as he seeks a replacement for Darren Tinson.

Incredible

[Altyant]

Certainly a big surprise?!!!

[Timperley The Best]

is a kerr a centre back ?any good ?

[markecky]

Probably sign him as cover as he is local, fit and cheap I would.  An OK squad player but nothing more.

I hope we haven't got him back because his family are nice.

[AltyTunnelSteward]

Hmm

I spend the season getting grief because I express doubts about a 38 year old who I reckon I might have been quicker than but most people seemed happy with

We trial a guy 4 years younger who can and will run all day for you and that's wrong?

Can someone explain please??

[joe]

Hmm

I spend the season getting grief because I express doubts about a 38 year old who I reckon I might have been quicker than but most people seemed happy with

We trial a guy 4 years younger who can and will run all day for you and that's wrong?

Can someone explain please??

I agreed with you 100% over Tinson ATS,i thought he cost us dearly last season. Like Ecky said above,if Band is being looked at purely as a squad player then fine but i think we need to be aiming a bit higher for a regular partner for Greg Young.

[Tom N.V.F.C]

Kerr can play center back as well as right back, Was good cover for us, but can loose his temper and when this happens he goes into silly tackels and moans at everybody else
Luke is an ok player to and will offer a lot more than roca did for you, not a bad player
Peter Band....playing lol

[Saughall Robin]

Without wishing to be rude (I very rarely am) I think the view of a number of people would be that we have a great affection for Bandy but he isn't what we want at Centre Back this season if we are to progress.
What concerns me in particular is not only might he re-sign but that GH (and others) felt Tinson should be "the first name on his team sheet" (before his move away) after his terminal lack of pace last season. This would suggest that even if Bandy doesn't end up back with us, and now the rumours of Bolland have been finished, we're going to end up with a slow centre back not the faster one we need to complement Young and leave us less vulnerable to those teams with route one tactics and fast big young forwards.
Just my opinion.

[markecky]

Hmm

I spend the season getting grief because I express doubts about a 38 year old who I reckon I might have been quicker than but most people seemed happy with

We trial a guy 4 years younger who can and will run all day for you and that's wrong?

Can someone explain please??

You waged a campaign against him for reasons that may be known to you.  I'm just saying Bandy would be an Ok squad player. 

Surely you think Tinno would have been an OK squad player?

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

Could the tactical reason that GH has brought back Peter Band really be that this will make him eligible to play for the Alty FC Cricket XI at Timperley CC on Sunday?

Can he play the 'switch-hit' stroke like Kevin Pietersen, perhaps?

[im not really here]

By a squad player do you mean that if say one of our first choice centre halfs gets injured in October that he would be called in until January when a replacement could be signed or someone on the bench who can play the last half an hour if required and then replaced for the next game. I hope it is just the second option, because if we start the season with only 3 centre halfs then I would worry. Most people were happy to see Band go last Summer (including me) and with good reason. GH has a history of bringing players back to the club and bar Coburn were any successful second time round? If the club is to progress and GH is to renew his credibility then we need to look to the future and move on.

[joe]

I think it is very unlikely we'll start the season with any more than 3 centre halfs in the squad,we may even go with just 2 and use Chris Lane there as cover and use the loan market.