Cardiff City have as many as eight players currently out on loan. It is perhaps reasonable to say none of them have impressed quite as much as James Connolly at Bristol Rovers.
The 20-year-old centre-back was a rock at the heart of Steve Morison's defence during the first portion of the season for the under-23s, whom he captained, and it was no surprise to hear that Gas boss Joey Barton had wanted him at the Rec for some time.
The only way you find out whether a young player can cut it in the Football League is by exposing them to the beast itself. Given Connolly has been selected to start in every game in which he has been available - he has made 20 appearances since January - it's clear to see what the Rovers coaching staff think of him.
And in the below words from Sam Frost , the Rovers correspondent for our sister title BristolLive, he paints a picture of a ball-playing centre-half who has a bright future ahead of him. Someone for Morison to look at next season, perhaps? Who knows. But this is what we know so far from his stint in League Two...
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Q. What have you made of James Connolly during his time with Bristol Rovers?
He has been mightily impressive. Connolly was thrown in at the deep end, playing for the Gas on the day his signing was announced, and that was against Championship side Peterborough United in the FA Cup third round. He stood up to the challenge and has grown as a player since, becoming a certain starter and an ideal partner for Stoke City loanee Connor Taylor in the heart of the defence. Rovers have kept nine clean sheets in the 19 League Two games since Connolly came into the team.
Q. Has he exceeded expectations? He appears to have played a lot more than expected. Would Rovers even want to have him back next year if possible?
From an outside perspective, yes, but within the camp, they clearly saw Connolly as a player capable of providing an instant impact. Fans expected Rovers to sign a couple of centre-backs in January, but Joey Barton zeroed in on Connolly – a fellow Scouser – as his solution to a leaky defensive record. The manager has been vindicated totally in that decision, and he would doubtless love to have Connolly back next season.
Q. What are his biggest assets and what does he still need to work on?
Composure. Relishes possession of the ball, which suits Rovers' methodical build-up play from the back. The Gas have tended to dominate territory in games, meaning he spends a lot of time on the halfway line and he looks at home in such an aggressive starting position. When he first arrived, there were a couple of incidents where he was exposed physically, but he has rapidly dispelled that notion. There is plenty of rough and tumble in the fourth tier and Connolly can handle it. There really has been very little to criticise. Maybe a couple of poor decisions on the ball, but that's natural for a 20-year-old, and on the whole, he has played to a level well beyond his reserves of experience.
Q. He captained Cardiff's under-23s, despite being young, does he display those leadership qualities in senior football?
He's quite softly spoken – not unusual for a young lad out on loan – but he is certainly a leader by example. When the pressure has been on, he has never gone into his shell. Instead, he has won big headers and is always willing to receive the ball to get an attack going.
Q. Cardiff are expected to have a big clear-out this summer - do you think Connolly has what it takes to cut it in the Championship next season?
The only way of finding out for sure is by chucking him in at the deep end once again. That happened at Rovers and he thrived; time will tell if he gets the same opportunity at Cardiff. Clearly, there is a huge gulf between the levels, but Connolly has shown a strong level of natural talent, coupled with an ability to learn quickly. He's going to be a good centre-back for someone and it will be interesting to see what level he reaches.
