‘Real Shame’ – Former Striker Disappointed Stoke City Overlooking Star | OneFootball

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Former EFL star Sam Parkin has expressed his disappointment at seeing Stoke City starlet Nathan Lowe failing to make an impact since returning to the club from Walsall in the winter transfer window.

The 19-year-old striker joined Walsall on loan in the summer transfer window and was electric in League Two during the first half of the season, as he scored 15 goals and registered five assists in 22 matches.

Stoke brought Lowe back in January, much to Walsall’s disappointment, but the thought process was that the Potters would give the 19-year-old an opportunity to make the difference.

Since his return, the teenager has only featured on eight occasions for the Potters, while finding the back of the net just once, as Mark Robins has preferred other options.

Parkin revealed that he was hoping the 19-year-old would return to Stoke and immediately hit the ground running and save the Potters from relegation to League One.

The former EFL star believes that Stoke manager Robins feels that Lowe is not yet ready, after he picked Sam Gallagher over the teenager to replace Ali Al-Hamadi against Millwall on Saturday.

Parkin does feel Stoke, who sit just one point above the drop zone in the Championship, will ultimately have enough to survive in the division this season.

He said on the Championship Check-In show (19:30): “Seeing Nathan Lowe sitting there….I have seen Walsall and Walsall with Nathan Lowe and now I see the struggles that Walsall are having.

“To see a young lad not getting off the bench at the Den at the weekend, it says to me that Mark Robins probably doesn’t feel he is quite ready.

“He brought Gallagher on in front of him, I would say he’s a kind of perfect replica for Al-Hamadi.

“So, yes that is a real shame how it has played out for him because I had high hopes that he would come back to Stoke and be the one that saved them ultimately.

“It doesn’t look like it is going to be him, but I think Baker, El-Hamadi, Bae, Manhoef back fit now, off the bench.

“I think they will find a way of surviving.”

The Potters have won just one of their last six matches in the Championship and only averaged a goal a game in those six outings.

Stoke are due to play three teams in and around them in the Championship table in the shape of Luton Town, Cardiff City and Derby County on the final day.