Matt Tootle could become key when he returns to action

Steve Davis is hoping to have his club captain Matt Tootle back sooner rather than later because he feels that the wing-back system we have used on occasions this season would suit his game perfectly. Tootle, 24, was close to a return at Scunthorpe United last weekend but after suffering with a heavy cold in the build up to the game, he wasn’t risked.

Tootle has been struggling for nearly eight weeks after being laid low by a virus. He has been able to train again though over the last few weeks and has gained some game time against Blackburn Rovers and Burnley for the club’s reserves in a couple of friendly games.

Steve told the club’s official web-site: “Matt had a cold so I decided not to include him on Saturday. We want him to be 100% ready to return and he wasn’t.

“He played for the reserves against Burnley and he wanted to play, so hopefully he will be okay in the build-up to the Bristol game and he will be available for selection.

“I am sure he would like to play in the system we are playing at the moment. His game is about getting forward and creating things in the final third and having that extra defender gives him more of a licence to get forward and do that.

“Of course, you have your defending responsibilities as well but you have that freedom. I’m sure he would enjoy and he has played it before. He has also played it on the left hand side but playing in that position you have be ultra fit because you ask a lot of the wing-backs to get up and down the pitch.

He added: “We will assess Matt this week and see how he is before we decide whether it is time to bring him back into it.”