Jack Thomas urged to fulfil promise after returning to Mansfield Town

The 20-year-old made an immediate impact when he initially came into the first team aged 17 only to see that initial rich promise ebb away.

But he was on the club’s retained list this week and assistant manager Paul Raynor said: “Jack still had another year on his contract anyway, so he was in the door

“We sent him out on loan at Barrow to get some games in because we felt he wasn’t going to play week in week out.

“But he showed us enough in the games and in training to see there is something there.

“We’ve had a long chat with Jack in terms of how he needs to come back. That focus has really got to be there.

“He need to be an active part of our first team squad before the transfer window closes.

“We see potential but we now need to see that come to fruition in the early part of the season and in pre-season.”