Boss Kieran McKenna says youngster Cameron Humphreys will continue to be an important member of the first-team squad, despite Lee Evans returning to action following his knee injury.
The Welshman got back in action as a sub at Wycombe last week having been out of action since the Derby match in late October.
Asked whether Evans’s return will give 19-year-old Humphreys a chance to have a much-needed rest having played the last seven matches, McKenna said: "Let's see. He certainly won't be back in the U23s this week.
"He's been a really important player for us and he's performed very well over the last period when he's had his run of games.
"So he's a fully-fledged member of the first-team squad who is going to be competing for positions.
"Of course, we're going to have more competition in that area going forward and that's the challenge for all of the players.
"We hope to be going from a squad that's been operating with really limited numbers to being a squad with good numbers and good depth and good competition in each area, and everyone is going to have to fight for their position in training, not just to get in the matchday team but also in the squad.
"I think that's the healthiest place for us to be, and that's where we want to be again.”
Humphreys could face further competition for a place in the midfield with Middlesbrough’s Massimo Luongo training with the Blues at present and Peterborough’s Jack Taylor the subject of a Town enquiry.
Dom Ball is expected to miss most of the rest of the season having undergone knee surgery, while Panutche Camara is also out for a number of months having had a third groin op.