Boss Jim Magilton has confirmed that he will send striker Dean Bowditch out on loan if he isn't involved in his first team. The 21-year-old scored a hat-trick for the reserves against Southend last night as he continued his recovery from summer groin surgery.

Magilton told the club site: "Our best laid plans for Dean went out of the window last season what with his injury problems.

"We were keen to get him out on loan, score some goals, play regular first team football and get his confidence up.

"He's a player I have always liked and it's great to see him back playing football again and we will see how things go from here.

"It's important that he is playing games every week and, if we can't give him games at the level we want, then he will go out on loan."

Bowditch, whose Town contract is up at the end of the season, spent time at Brighton last season but the injury prevented him from making a significant impact. The Seagulls expressed an interest in taking the former England U19 international on loan again earlier in the summer, while Millwall and Southend have also been linked.

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