LEE CLARK says he’s "gutted" at Reading’s decision to recall on-loan centre-back Sean Morrison, but accepts the Championship club’s action after Town themselves brought teenage wing prospect Aidan Chippendale back from York.
Neither player has figured at first-team level, with Morrison’s stay ending after the initial 28 days.
"I’m gutted to lose Sean, because he’s a very good footballer and has shown a terrific attitude all the time he’s been here," explained Clark.
Morrison, 20 (pictured above), who joined Reading from Swindon during the January transfer window, was on the bench for the fourth time when Town won 1-0 at Charlton on Saturday to maintain their push for automatic promotion from League I.
With skipper Peter Clarke and fellow centre-back Jamie McCombe in impressive form, Town have kept three clean sheets in that spell and six in their last seven games in all.
And Clark continued: "I would like to have given Sean some game time, but how could I when the two lads in possession of the shirts have been playing the way they have?
"It’s a blow that he’s gone back, but he’s Reading’s player and I respect their decision."
On 18-year-old Chippendale, who made his Town debut as a substitute in last month’s 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers before heading to Blue Square Premier side York, Clark explained: "Just like Reading with Sean, we wanted Aidan to play matches, but it didn’t happen.
"We decided he’d be better off back here and while we can’t play him until the end of the regular season, he’s able to take part in our training sessions."
While former Bradford youth player Chippendale is back at the Galpharm, Town’s 20-year-old centre-back Leigh Franks is interesting the Valley Parade club.
The former Oxford loan player is due to play in tomorrow’s reserve match against Nottingham Forest at Ilkeston after featuring for City’s second string in last week’s 1-0 win over Port Vale.
