TOM Allan has admitted it is a boost to feel wanted again - both by York City and other clubs.

Prior to being introduced as a tactical first-half substitute during Saturday’s 2-1 win at Southport, Allan had not played a minute since Sam Collins took over as City manager in mid-August.

Furthermore, he had failed to make six of the seven previous matchday squads - the only exception being against Ashton Athletic in the FA Cup when seven subs are permitted.

But the 23-year-old defender is now back in favour with Collins having helped the Minstermen recover from a 1-0 deficit and has declared that he had never wanted to leave his home-town club despite being made aware of interest in his services from other teams.

Allan said: “The gaffer told me last week that, since he’d been appointed permanent manager, a few clubs had expressed an interest in me, but he said that he didn’t want me to go anywhere and I said I didn’t want to go anywhere either. I just want to do really well for this club and the fans.

“It’s good that people outside the club think highly of me, but it’s also good to know the gaffer wants to work with me and I just want to work with and do my best for him now.”

The ex-Alfreton centre back added that he remained patient during his period out in the cold, rather than demanding an explanation for his situation.

“Some people bang on the door straight away if they’re not in the team and ask why, but I’m not that kind of person,” he explained. “I had to bide my time for a few weeks to get back on the bench and I’ve been working hard in training to keep myself fit and ticking over so, to get on and help us win the game, was superb and really enjoyable.

“These last few weeks haven’t been hard for me in terms of keeping physically fit , because the gaffer and Parns (assistant-manager Stuart Parnaby) put on really good, high-intensity sessions and we can also do a bit extra afterwards and go to the gym. I only really had to head the ball at Southport too.

“It’s been harder really dealing with the mental side of things and not letting my head go down. I tried to make sure I stayed in high spirits and kept training the best I could so, when my chance came, I could take it and I thought I did alright when I came on.”

The likes of Dan Parslow, Wes York and Alex Kempster were the latest City pros to miss out on City’s matchday squad at Southport but, whilst Allan admitted senior numbers currently seem high, he feels that can always change.

“We’ve got a big squad, but that can be good if we get three or four injuries all at once, because you need like-for-like replacements and, then, the squad would look smaller all of a sudden,” he reasoned. “We have quality in the stand that could probably be playing at another team at this standard, which shows the depth of the squad.”

Having returned to league action last weekend, Allan is now hoping for a first taste of Cup action this term at Blyth tomorrow, adding: “They like to get it down and play and are quite nippy, but we’ve got the quality to deal with that and it’s the FA Cup, so it’s a good game to play in.

“I reached the third round once with Gateshead and, although I was on the bench for that game against West Brom, I’d played in all the rounds before and it was a great run that I’d like to do again.”

Allan has also declared that, if selected, he will be happy to perform as a centre-half in a three or four-man defence, as well as at left back if required.

He was used as a conventional centre back at Southport and, on his return to the first-team fold, the 6ft 5in defender said: “I watched the first 30 minutes and you could see what they were about.

“They get the ball up to the big man and get bodies around him so, when I came on, I knew, if I won my first header, there would be no problems there. It was a messy game.

“The wind didn’t help and it wasn’t a game to get the ball down and play lots of pretty football. It was one where you needed to win the first ball and the second and, then, go from there.

“I thought Southport did their homework on us in the first half, but we did quite well when we changed to a back four and they didn’t have too many chances. We started to get a foothold in the game, got the equaliser and, then, won the game thanks to a superb strike from Hessie (Simon Heslop).

“It was a smash and grab game really, but that’s what wins you titles - going away from home, not playing well and taking the points.”