Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala has admitted the club will ‘reassess’ the future of Plymouth Argyle loan player Saxon Earley in the January window.
Early joined the Imps on a season-long loan in the summer but has been restricted to just three appearances with a single start in the EFL trophy.
Saxon Earley Future
Earley’s lack of minutes has been a concern for Plymouth Argyle, a club that has already expressed the possibility of a recall. With Early not featuring at all in midweek against Morecambe in the EFL Trophy, Lincoln City supporters have been wondering what the situation is.
In his pre-match interview for the Imps trip to Huddersfield, Michael Skubala admitted Earley’s time at Lincoln hadn’t been a huge success.
“He’s been in and out,” said Skubala. “He had a bit of flu, missed some time because of suspensions, and it just hasn’t quite got going for him. At the start of the season, we had Reeco (Hackett), Dylan (Duffy), and other players missing, so we thought we needed cover at left wing-back. But he’s just not quite managed to get into the team.
“So yeah, I think we’ll have to reassess when we get to January. That’s the reason—to see where he’s at, where we’re at, and where his parent club, Plymouth, is at.”
Impact
Earley’s impact on Lincoln has been minimal. He came on late in their EFL Trophy defeat against Chesterfield in September, getting booked. A start and another yellow against Grimsby ruled him out of their final match, and a brief cameo against Chesham in the FA Cup is the sum of his time at Lincoln.
Reeco Hackett, the regular left-wing back, started the season injured, and Dylan Duffy had a possible ban hanging over his head. However, summer signing Dom Jeffries made the role his own, and Swedish wide-man Erik Ring also offered possibilities in the position. That’s meant Earley has been left kicking his heels.
Writer’s View
This is a tough one for Earley, but he’s had stiff competition and it feels like he was only ever signed as cover. He was a late capture, suggesting a last-minute acquisition that had protection and cover in mind rather than first-team chances. Quite where he goes from here is anyone’s guess – it could be a lower-end League One club come in and offer him a home for the last five months of the season.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief at The Real EFL, Gary is a passionate Lincoln City fan with extensive content creation across the Championship and EFL. He also shares expert football betting tips.
