LOAN WATCH: PART ONE (2023, 5)

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Costelloe helps Bantams keep promotion hopes alive as Agyei brings loan to an end with cup final defeat

2023-05-01T07:30:00.000Z

LOAN WATCH: PART ONE (2023, 5)

Costelloe helps Bantams keep promotion hopes alive as Agyei brings loan to an end with cup final defeat

2023-05-01T07:30:00.000Z

13 Clarets players are currently out on season-long loan deals across nine leagues and three countries, including the Premier League, Vanarama National League North & Belgian Pro League.

That tally includes six players from the academy here at the Club, with Joe McGlynn’s Kidderminster teammates this week reaching the play-offs. At senior level meanwhile, there was success at Bradford City for Dara Costelloe.

Here’s a round-up of how the first six loanees, in alphabetical order, have fared over the last week. Make sure to look out for ‘Loan Watch: Part Two’ to keep up to date with how the other seven fared.

Bobby Thomas (Barnsley)

Safe in the knowledge that a play-off spot is already theirs, Thomas and the Tykes faced high-flying Ipswich Town at Oakwell on Tuesday night.

Losing out 3-0, any faint automatic promotion hopes were brought to an end for Michael Duff’s side, though a third defeat in 20 had come against a side who went on to seal promotion themselves come the weekend.

Saturday then saw Thomas and co. draw 4-4 at MK Dons, coming from 4-1 down with 17 minutes remaining to earn a point. Barnsley round off the season with a home game against Will Norris’ Peterborough United before heading into those play-offs.

This week’s game(s): SAT – Peterborough United (H)

CJ Egan-Riley (Hibernian)

With the Scottish Cup semi-finals taking place, there was no SPL action so Egan-Riley enjoyed a rare break.

In the meantime however, the SPL ‘split’ fixtures, which will commence this coming weekend, were announced. Hibs will start out with a home game against St Mirren.

This week’s game(s): SAT – St Mirren (H)

Dara Costelloe (Bradford City)

Referenced above, Irishman Costelloe is still in the hunt for silverware this season with promotion-chasing Bradford.

Three loanees still have promotion hopes as EFL campaigns draw to a close

The versatile attacker played 32 minutes of their 2-1 win at Northampton Town on Saturday as the Bantams netted a 94th minute winner, stopping the hosts’ own promotion party and enhancing their own chances this term.

Mark Hughes’ side now need just one point from two games to seal a play-off spot, and they are five points off the automatic promotion spots, which are still just about within reach.

This week’s game(s): WED – Crewe Alexandra (A)

Enock Agyei (K.V. Mechelen)

Agyei’s loan spell with Steven Defour’s Mechelen has now come to an end after yesterday’s narrow 2-0 defeat to Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Cup Final.

The forward came off the bench in the closing stages, picking up a runners-up medal, and will now return to the Club this summer.

Finn Armstrong (Curzon Ashton)

A headline-maker in recent weeks, full-back Armstrong tasted disappointment this time around as he and Curzon narrowly missed out on a play-off spot courtesy of two defeats against AFC Fylde & King’s Lynn Town, the two clubs who ended the season 1st and 2nd in the Vanarama National League North respectively.

Trailing 2-0 by the 4th minute against eventual champions Fylde, Armstrong was a half-time substitute. That was a first defeat in 11 for the ‘Nash’, with that record extended to two in 12 at King’s Lynn on Saturday who ran out 2-0 victors.

The young defender was a 71st minute substitute in that game as Curzon finished 13th, just three points below Gloucester City in 7th who claimed the final play-off spot. He’ll now return to the Club.

Joe McGlynn (Kidderminster Harriers)

Though he’s not been involved through injury in recent weeks, McGlynn’s Kidderminster teammates have been enjoying success and – unlike Curzon – their form continued until the end of the campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory against Kettering Town on Saturday enough to take them into the play-offs.

That victory, securing a 6th-place finish, was the Harriers’ sixth straight win. They now take on Alfreton Town in the first stage of those play-offs, and success there would set up a semi-final tie – coincidentally – against King’s Lynn on Sunday.

This week’s game(s): TUE – Alfreton Town (A)