Assistant boss Chris Hutchings says discussions regarding Josh Carson’s new contract are still continuing. Last week, Blues manager Paul Jewell said he was confident that the Northern Irish international would put pen to paper on the deal, which is an initial two years plus the option of a further season, with the recent snow causing a meeting with the player’s representative to be rescheduled.
Hutchings said: "That’s still ongoing. I know the gaffer’s in talks with him and his agent and it’s ongoing at this moment in time.”
The 18-year-old has been out of the 16 in recent weeks, although usually having been in the 18-man party travelling to away games, and Hutchings says his initial task is to win back a place in the Town side: "It’s up to Josh to get in the team first and foremost. He’s the one who’s got to do the talking and the only way he does that is on the pitch.
"He’s done very, very well. He’s an international but he’s on the periphery at the moment. He’s one for the future and if he does well, he’ll get rewarded, like in anything.
"If you’re doing well you get rewarded, simple as that,” he continued. "I think Aaron Cresswell’s a prime example.”
But he admits regaining a place in a team which has won its last three games isn’t going to be easy: "It’s always tough when you’re trying to get in a winning side. If you get on as a sub, you’ve got to show what you’re all about.
"If you don’t get that opportunity and you’re not even on the bench, you’ve got to do it on training every day.”
Meanwhile, the search for loan players — with a centre-half top of the list - goes on: "We’re always looking. The window doesn’t really affect us as such because we know we have a week’s grace and then we can get loans in again.
"A lot goes into it,” he added. "People think it’s easy to get players in. But players at other clubs, maybe on the bench or out of the squad, don’t want to move from north to south things like that, but we are trying.
"It’s about keeping those in the team on their toes, making sure that they perform to the best of their level or otherwise someone will take their jersey.”