The Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton has admitted he fears a January return for the on-loan Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson.
Johnson is impressing in his season-long spell at Sincil Bank, which has so far yielded two goals and four assists from just nine appearances.
The 19-year-old’s form led him to make his senior debut for Wales earlier this month.
And it’s possible that Nottingham Forest, who have replaced their former manager Sabri Lamouchi with Chris Hughton since Johnson’s temporary departure, could find a use for the player in the second half of the season.
It would be an unfortunate case of déjà vu for Lincoln, who had Tyler Walker recalled by Forest in last season’s winter window.
According to Appleton, though, the terms are slightly different this time around.
“Yes, yes it does (concern me that Johnson could return to Nottingham Forest),” the 44-year-old told BBC Lincolnshire. “There’s no doubt about it. It’s double-edged really, because the reality is that if he does get called back, or someone takes him, it’s because he’s either done well and he’s enjoyed his time at the football club because he’s able to flourish and play well and perform well. But at the same time, we have to be aware that if that does happen, or can happen, we add someone who’s potentially going to be able to come in and replace the likes of Brennan.
“It’s going to be very difficult because for a club our size, and I mean that with the greatest of respect, to have someone like Brennan here, the quality that he’s got, it takes us up to another level at times.
“I think the disappointment from last season was obviously the timing (of Walker’s return), probably more than anything, a couple of days before the window shut and it gives you less time. I think the opportunity for potentially Brennan to go back, God forbid, is earlier in the window. So that gives us the opportunity to make sure that, if that is the case, we can find a replacement.
“But I think at this moment in time, and I don’t want to be making these decisions, because, obviously, Chris has gone in and he’s the new manager. I’m sure games under Brennan’s belt is the most important thing for him at this moment in time and, if that is the case, and they’re thinking on similar sort of lines as myself, then we’re going to be the ones that, hopefully, give him the opportunity to do that.”
Both Johnson and Walker are the sons of former Nottingham Forest players, David and Des, respectively.
Walker Snr began his career at Forest in the mid-1980s and returned to the City Ground in 2002, where he became a teammate of the older Johnson.
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