Oldham Athletic may have to strengthen their squad as key players are being plagued by injuries, manager Lee Johnson has revealed.
Latics made nine summer signings after eight first team players left Boundary Park including defender Jean Yves-M’voto, who joined Barnsley.
After David Mellor – who has started the season in defence – was forced off with a hamstring strain in the defeat to Walsall on Saturday, Johnson now feels there is a need for reinforcements.
“When people put in a performance like that, maybe you do bring a couple in and shake it up a bit,” he told BBC Radio Manchester.
“Certainly with Mellor going down, I’ll have a serious look at it this week and see what I can do and probably bring in some sort of defender if possible.”
Among Oldham’s nine summer signings was Latvian Under-21 defender Edijs Joksts but there is a belief that the 20-year-old is not yet up to the demands of English football.
Mellor remains a doubt for the upcoming trip to Peteborough while ex-Posh forward Jonson Clarke-Harris is unlikely to recover in time from damaged ankle ligaments to face his former club.
With no game in midweek, Oldham’s walking wounded have had the chance to recover but Johnson is using the opportunity to look at trialists.
“There are free transfers out there and there are loans out there so there are certainly people knocking at the door wanting to come in,” he added.
“We’ve just got to see whether or not they are good enough to make a difference.”
One trialist is Danny Philliskirk, son of Academy Manager Tony, who has returned to Boundary Park where he started his career.
Despite failing to make an appearance for Athletic the 22-year-old moved to Chelsea on a four-year contract in 2007.
He had spells on loan at Oxford and Sheffield United before signing for the Blades permanently in 2011 but only played five times after earning a contract.
Another loan spell at Oxford followed before his release from Bramall Lane in January 2013.
Philliskirk had been training at Doncaster Rovers following his release from Coventry City where he made one appearance between February and July this year.
Image courtesy of Sky Sports via YouTube, with thanks.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
