Joey Barton admits it will be "tricky" for Jon Nolan to break into the Bristol Rovers team in the remainder of the season, but after two years of injury misery, the manager is delighted the midfielder has been able to train unhindered for three weeks.
The Gas took a punt on Nolan – a proven player who has impressed in League One but endured more than a year on the sidelines at former club Ipswich Town due to a serious knee injury – the day after the January transfer deadline. Rovers snapped up the 30-year-old as a free agent until the end of the season following the termination of his contract at Portman Road.
But Nolan has made just one appearance for the Gas, debuting as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat at Newport County in March. Niggling injury issues and fierce competition for places have seen him out of contention. With Paul Coutts, Sam Finley, Antony Evans and Glenn Whelan preferred in midfield, Nolan has not been included in a single matchday squad since his return to training.
"He’s been training for the past three weeks, but again such is the competition for places in that midfield area, we’re already moving them out of the centre because we’ve got more than three good players if we’re playing 4-3-3," Barton said.
"He’s training and he’s itching (to play). Alex Rodman is the same, Sion Spence is the same, but we’ve got more than 11 good players, we’ve got more than 18 good players. Competition is high just to get in the matchday squad at the minute.
"Jon is making good progress but opportunities for him to get in the first team are going to be tricky because we’ve got a load of quality in those positions."
Barton was asked what the future held for Nolan with his deal at the Gas coming to an end, but the Gas boss declined to offer more detail with the end of this season his immediate priority.
"I think it’s unfair to talk about that at this moment," Barton said. "We want to get the season finished.
"For me, it was a good opportunity to have a good look at Jon. He’s come in and it hasn’t gone as well as he’d have hoped. He’s only managed to make one appearance, but for us to see what he is capable and watch him train gives us a good benchmark for where he is.
"A lot of that will be depending on how our season finishes, where we are, what we have available, what strategy we decide to take depending on what the challenge is next year.
"But I’m really pleased with the fact he’s been able to train for the last two or three weeks with the group and it will be interesting to see if he can throw his cap in the ring to make an impact between now and the season’s end. Don’t forget, we could have five games left here. We could also only have two, so it’s a tricky time to predict anything at the minute, things are out of your own hands and it’s never nice when you don’t control your own destiny."
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