A game of two halves
CHRIS Wilder plans to play a different XI in each half at Bishop Auckland as the boss takes the opportunity to give as many players as possible crucial minutes in the summer opener.
New signings Liam Roberts, Ryan Giles and Darragh Lenihan will be among those who will feature at Heritage Park, with a number of under-23s also set to be handed an opportunity to impress the boss (inset).
It is the first chance for fans to see the new signings in action for Boro, the club confirming yesterday the fixture has now sold-out, with 1,900 fans set to be in attendance.
After a couple of weeks on the training pitches, Wilder is now relishing the opportunity to watch his side in action, with the game at Bishop kick-starting a busy summer spell.
He said: “We’ll give everyone 45 minutes each and play a different XI in each half,.
“We’re looking forward to it. We have a great relationship with Bishop Auckland and we’re keen to continue that.”
It will be interesting to see where in the backline Lenihan fits in.
The boss has already told of how he sees the former Blackburn man as a versatile defender, comfortable on the right, left or at the heart of a back three.
Fellow new arrival Ryan Giles will be used as a left wing-back, while Roberts will be desperate to impress between the posts with Zach Steffen poised to arrive from Manchester City.
The youngsters involved will also be desperate to take their chance. Last summer, Isaiah Jones caught the eye in pre-season before going on to enjoy a stunning breakthrough campaign.