One to watch by Tony Kelly, Chief Sports Writer

It may now be a case of vintage 'Sheri', but even as a veteran John Sheridan can be a corker.

The former Leeds United and Eire playmaker has proved himself a major attraction with the Oldham Athletic fans since he arrived at Boundary Park in October.

The spring in the legs may have gone, but he still possesses the snap of a defence-slicing pass. And his vision has proved a sight for sore eyes among Latics fans frustrated at succession of 'runners and ratters' in their midfield.

In the last three months they have been treated to the quality and vision from the 34-year-old that has put the sheen on a career of almost 500 League games and as many international caps as he has had birthdays.

But Sheridan's link-up at Oldham only came about through a chance conversation between Latics' boss Andy Ritchie and another on-the-ball magician, Chris Waddle.

Ritchie, a former Leeds team-mate of Sheridan, had been deterred from an approach because of a cash shortage at Oldham after the midfielder was released by relegated Bolton Wanderers last summer.

Sheridan instead teamed up with Doncaster Rovers in the Conference League, an association commented upon by Ritchie and Waddle at a reserves' match. Waddle revealed that Sheridan, who still lives in the Leeds area, had left Rovers.

That night Ritchie contacted his one-time playing ally offering him a trial.

Sheridan shone so much in that October 24 game against Wycombe that straight after the match he was ushered into the boardroom and offered an 18-month contract. He duly signed, his League career prolonged when obscurity loomed.

Strangely Sheridan's start in the professional ranks was blighted by rejection. The Stretford-born midfielder was cut loose from Manchester City after he joined them as a schoolboy.

Leeds snapped him up in March 1982 and his career took off. In the next seven seasons, apart from a spell recovering from a broken leg, he was the midfield star at Elland Road going on to earn the first of his 34 international caps in the green of the Republic of Ireland.

Just under a decade ago he was sold for £650,000 to Nottingham Forest. But bizarrely manager Brian Clough never played him and within four months he was back in Yorkshire with Sheffield Wednesday after a £500,000 move.

He was to stay at Hillsborough for eight years before a loan spell at Birmingham City, where he appeared against Leeds in a Coca-Cola Cup semi-final. That was followed by a two-season stint at Bolton that ended when the Trotters yo-yoed back out of the top-flight last May.

But while age has caught him up, he still oozes class. Evidence of the skill was displayed in City's last game of 1998 when they travelled to Lancashire's high country. For the first 30 minutes Sheridan was a cut above. His distribution was excellent, his eye for a shrewd pass undimmed.

Often though, less blessed team-mates failed to cotton on to the precise probing, and once Sheridan was crowded out, his influence waned.

But the warning is there to City. Indeed on his last visit to Bootham Crescent Sheridan netted two goals in Leeds' 4-0 League Cup triumph in 1987 after a 1-1 first leg draw at Elland Road.

So do not give him space or time or a killer pass or precise free-kick may ensue.

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