Town boss Kieran McKenna says few £1 million strikers in the current era have been better value than George Hirst and believes the Blues will need the Scotland international, under fire from sections of the club’s support of late, between now and the end of the season.

Hirst, a member of the League One and Championship promotion squads having signed from Leicester initially on loan in January 2023 before the deal was made permanent the following summer, is on an eight-game run without a goal and admitted after the Wrexham match that it was “playing on his mind”.

Manager McKenna named Hirst as his captain for the FA Cup tie at the Racecourse Ground last Friday and reiterated his faith in the 27-year-old at this afternoon’s pre-match press conference ahead of the return visit to North Wales in the Championship on Saturday.

“He trained really well today,” McKenna said. “I’ve spoken a few times about how important George is to us, what I think his role at the club has been and still is now.

“For me, if we take a step back, he’s a player that we signed for circa-£1 million in League One at a time when he was really early in his career and he wasn’t getting the minutes [on loan] at Blackburn.

“He scored goals that got us promoted from League One, he scored goals that got us promoted from the Championship and he scored goals for the club in the Premier League, and he’s scored goals this season. 

“I think in terms of output, I doubt if the club or many other clubs have had better value for a striker for a million pounds in today’s market than this club has had from George Hirst. I think he’s been an incredible player for the club.

“I think we have to really find the right balance. He was a player who has come through that journey with the club and was the first one to want to sign [a new contract] in the summer, wanted to stay no matter what.

“He didn’t have his shirt last year, Liam [Delap] came in and did really well, [but George has] has always wanted to be here, has wanted to stay through being a starter and not being a starter.

“He has had a real passion to play for the club, has loved playing here and has had good season after good season after good season for us. 

“I think he’s had some good periods this season. I think the last run of games, maybe the last month or so just before his injury, maybe just after his injury, he hasn’t perhaps hit his top form, but I think he’s a player who deserves our respect, deserves our support.

“Of course, it’s about what you do in here now, not what we’ve done previously. That’s the same for George, any other player, as myself, as any staff member. I know in the modern world, it’s about what you’re doing now, but what I see George doing now is working really hard every day, working for the team in every game

“There’s never been a striker, there’s never been a player who has had a career where every single period is up, up, up. He’s said himself he’s maybe in his first or his biggest dip period in terms of his goalscoring and a couple of other aspects, but he’s been a tremendous player for the club. 

“He’s been voted by his peers into the leadership group this season. He trains well every day and gives his all in the pitch and, of course, you always want to play at your absolute best. And if you’re a goalscorer like George, you always want to be scoring in every game, but it’s inevitable you’re going to have a period not like that. 

“And for me, he still deserves the support and the respect because of what he gives us every day, but also for the player that he’s been for the football club over the last few seasons. So he certainly has made backing.

“He’s really keen to do well and help the team in every way possible, and we’re going to need him between now and the end of the season for sure.”

McKenna was asked whether when a player is in form and then has a spell out injured it’s difficult to get back to the same level immediately.

“I think in George’s case,” McKenna started before reflecting. “Look, this is not to talk loads about George because there’s lots of players in any period of the season who want to be doing better or not, but I think he got injured in the Sheffield Wednesday game, he scored in one or two games before that, he scored against Coventry and had a really good impact in a massive game for us. 

“I think he’s missed a few weeks over the Christmas period, which can upset your rhythm a little bit, take a little bit more time to get back into the flow and that’s the case for any player.”

Hirst is the latest Town player to have suffered abuse from a section of the club’s support on social media and McKenna was asked whether the squad is given guidance on that front.

“It’s something we speak with the group about in pre-season and at different stages of the season,” he added.

“There are always going to be narratives from outside, there’s always going to be opinions from the outside and as a group you can’t get swayed by that.

“Staying strong in those periods and staying together in those periods, we speak about that a lot.

“In terms of on an individual basis, we advise the players and we speak to them about those things and it’s a really important topic in modern society, certainly in modern football and it’s important for this club and this group right now.

“But there are no particular rules or anything like that, there are just ways that you try and support each individual and messages that we give to the group all the time.”

Photo: Matchday Images