Ian Evatt has stated that Blackpool are likely to retain winger Scott Banks amid questions over his playing time.
The Seasiders made a move for the Scottish winger back in the summer, recruiting him on a season-long loan from German Bundesliga side St. Pauli. However, he has found game time hard to come by, with all but two of his 13 League One appearances coming from the bench.
He has, however, been more effective in the cup competitions, scoring four times and providing an assist in the EFL Trophy and FA Cup ahead of the Tangerines’ match against Ipswich Town next weekend.
Banks Recall Chances Rated
Questions around the future of Blackpool’s current loan players have been in the air as the winter transfer window opens, with parent clubs usually able to recall their players within the first weeks of January.
Banks was one of those players who may have been sent back home, but speaking to the Blackpool Gazette, Evatt stated that St. Pauli are unlikely to bring the former Crystal Palace man home.
“I’ve not heard anything different other than Scott is staying at the moment.
“Obviously with all of these agreements there is a window of opportunity for clubs to change things, and recall.
“At the moment we’ve had no conversations to have any inkling that’s going to happen.”
That came at the same time as a decision was reached for Emil Hansson, with the left midfielder back on his way to Birmingham City after he was unable to displace Tom Bloxham and Banks in the starting lineup against the latter’s former club Bradford City.
Banks Needs To Perform Regularly
While he has shown some promise since arriving at Bloomfield Road, Scott Banks has not been regularly in Ian Evatt’s plans outside of covering when players are injured.
With CJ Hamilton beginning to get more game time and Danny Imray working well on the other flank in a more advanced role, Banks finds himself in a tough place for the remainder of the season.
A month-long injury layoff certainly did not help his chances of gaining rhythm playing under Steve Bruce at the start of this campaign, and by the time he returned Evatt had taken charge of the club and shifted him into a more unfamiliar wing-back position.
The next few games will be crucial as to whether Banks can maintain a place as a regular player in the league with Hamilton’s performances slowly picking up, otherwise the remainder of the campaign will largely prove to be the same as the first half.