'˜Jack Thomas still has a part to play here' - Evans

That is the belief of manager Steve Evans, although Thomas could yet go out on loan to a Conference club.

“The transfer window does not affect down below us, so he can still go out,” said Evans.

“But Jack came on in the reserves in midweek and Paul Raynor said he was one of our better players.

“Jack Thomas still has a part to play here. But competition is severe.

“When we joined this club what was his competition? Not that great if I’m honest.

“Now he’s competing with Joel Byrom, Jacob Mellis, Alex MacDonald, Will Atkinson, and now Adam King too.

“But I still believe big time in Jack Thomas or otherwise we’d have given him a penny or two and let him go on his way. That wasn’t the case.”

Evans added: “There were clubs in for Jack. But I don’t want to put the kid in a relegation battle in the Conference.

“He did that last year. He trusted someone’s word and they broke their word to him. I don’t want to put the kid in that situation.”