Thompson to fight for his place

Last updated : 12 December 2007 By Dave Moore

26 year old John Thompson is aiming to force his way back into Athletic's first team squad and is determined to stay there after fighting back from a knee injury.

He admitted, "I still have a lot to prove. I've got a lot more confidence in my knee since the operation and I can't wait to get my chance in the team. I want to show the fans what I'm capable of and do the same thing I did with my other clubs, which is prove I can do a good job. Oldham fans haven't seen the best of me because my injury was an ongoing problem for two months and I definitely wasn't 100 per cent. I'm not making excuses but I didn't feel right going into games, so I still have a lot to prove."

"I was able to carry on playing, but it came to a stage where I knew I couldn't do myself justice. I went for my operation and had some cartilage removed, and now I feel much more confident in my knee. Unfortunately there haven't been any reserve games so, although I'm feeling good, my match fitness isn't there yet. But I'm doing extra work in training and hopefully I'll get my chance with all the games coming up over Christmas."