The midfielder is not necessarily renowned for his goal output but it’s the nuts and bolts of his game that many felt would be missed. The breaking-up of play, an ability to keep things ticking over and picking out key passes.
The statistics show Close averages 1.4 per game in the latter category – the highest of anyone in the squad.
But as big a blow as it was to lose the former Portsmouth man for the run-in, manager Grant McCann insisted that it represented an opportunity for someone else to showcase themselves.
Step forward Matty Craig.
After slowly being integrated into the group the Tottenham Hotspur loanee has made a big impression in his last two starts. Assured on the ball but not afraid to put his foot in either, the 20-year-old is making encouraging progress in what is his first taste of life away from the relative security of Premier League surroundings.
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