Loan players, according to Phil Parkinson, don’t want to come to Valley Parade these days.

With such a settled team right now, there are no guarantees of anyone coming in and getting a game. Loans are always a thorny subject. In an ideal world, every name in the squad would be contracted to the club.

Players on short-term stays by definition have little time to make an impact. Some inevitably sink without trace and are quickly forgotten.

Sunderland youngster John Egan was only with City for a month last season but does not fall into that bracket.

After three impressive outings, the centre half’s stint came to a sickening end when he broke his leg in two places early into his fourth game against Plymouth.

You could hear the scream as he collapsed. Fortunately for Egan, he remembered nothing about the incident which finished his season in November.

I have good news to report. On Monday night, he was back on the bench as Sunderland’s development team beat Middlesbrough.

West Yorkshire wishes him well.