His squad are in the midst of battling through a tricky winter schedule with three games per week but with a strong group, and players returning from injury, there is reason to be optimistic.

In regards to Simon Sluga, who suffered an injury in the defeat against Cardiff City, the gaffer said: “He’s a lot closer than he was on Friday when I was asked, it’s just a time thing with Simon and we won’t rush him back in to anything.

"He’s in a much better place, so whether we put him back in tomorrow is another thing, or it might be the weekend.

“Let’s just see, but James Shea has done well anyway, so it’s not a decision that we’re desperate to make in any way, but if we needed to then he's in a far better place.

“We signed James Shea to be a second number one in League Two and he’s another one of those who has gone on a journey, so he’s had to bide his time.

“Whenever he's called upon, he finished the season to get promoted and think he’s done that on a couple of occasions, so he's got one fantastic CV, so no issues whatsoever.”

After Dan Potts made his return to the starting line-up on Saturday, Brendan Galloway may also be in contention too, following his long lay-off with injury.

“He’s ready, he’s been training on and off, he’s been training longer than Potts really and had a little bit of setback, but he’s pretty much been training since pre-season.

“Then just had a little bit of a setback, three weeks out with a hamstring injury, but he’s been back in, and we haven’t rushed him because of the injury we had prior to that.

Youngster Dion Pereira was amongst the substitutes during the defeat against Swansea City and the manager was keen to suggest that he earned that opportunity, rather than it being an enforced decision.

“We’ve had him training around the first team squad, so we know that he has something.

“It might be a little bit early for him, in terms of introducing him, but I would rather put Dion Pereira on the bench than have eight subs. At least then he gets exposed.

“I had this conversation the other day because I know a lot of managers, just to make a statement, put five or six on the bench. It’s pointless, for me, that. I’d rather give another youngster an opportunity at least of exposure to the first team, so that’s what Dion’s getting.

“Dion’s not a token. He’s been doing well in training and he’s show stuff in games where think he’s deserved an opportunity.

“If he does get into the first team then it won’t be alien to him.”