Double Tope

TOPE Obadeyi renewed his on-loan spell at Argyle with a non-playing substitutes’ role in the Pilgrims’ 2-1 Sky Bet League 2 win at Dagenham & Redbridge...

...but manager John Sheridan cannot wait to see him back out on the pitch.

Tope has resumed his loan from Bury after a two-month spell at Home Park either side of Christmas which ended when he was recalled to Gigg Lane. He is now back at Argyle up to and including the home Devon Expressway Derby against Exeter City.

“He likes it here and I think he likes working under me,” said John. “Plus it’s not a fortune to get him, so it suits us.

“I don’t know why he’s not playing at Bury – and there’s probably people asking why I am bringing him back here because he’s not getting a start at Bury – but I just think he’s got something. He’s got pace and he did well for me.

“He was excellent in his last game before he left at Port Vale. I don’t think he wanted to go back. I am pleased to get him. He will give us something a little bit different.”

Tope’s resumed loan now means John has a number of options in attacking positions.

“There’s nothing wrong in having plenty,” he said. “They all want to play, as well. Like I say, I can only pick 11 but I try to look after them the best we can. The bench is quite strong at the moment.”

Whether the bench at Fleetwood on Tuesday night will be quite as potent depends, to some extent, on Nathan Thomas recovering from a back injury that ruled him out of the trip to Essex, and on how Jason Banton’s groin responds to treatment following his early substation at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Stadium.

“It’s a shame,” said John, of Jason’s injury, “because I think it was probably the best that he’s started in a game. I played him in the hole [behind strikers Reuben Reid and Lewi Alessandra], where he wants to play,

“He did well there for me last year. I think he can play anywhere. Lewi’s, the same – he can play left, right or down the middle and I think that’s Jason’s preferred position.”