JAKE Wright is expected to be restored to York City's starting line-up this weekend following his successful loan spell at National League North rivals Boston United.

The 22-year-old forward netted twice in four outings for the Pilgrims, who wanted to retain his services for the rest of the season.

But, with Macaulay Langstaff having netted three times in as many matches following a similarly fruitful stint at Bradford Park Avenue, Wright is now in line to make City's first XI for Saturday's home match with Southport.

One of Wright's goals for Boston came in a 3-2 triumph over the Sandgrounders and on the ex-Sheffield United reserve attacker's prospects of facing them again, City chief Steve Watson said: "Jake has come back in similar sort of form to Macca and he will be involved.

"Some of the things he does in training are things nobody else can do and I want him to transfer that into games. That's purely down to confidence, not ability and we've got to try and give him that belief.

"He's struggled a bit with his physicality too, but he's a good age, contracted to us next season and I see him as part of our future."

Wright's recall and a one-match ban for midfielder Adriano Moke might necessitate some tactical tinkering by Watson, whilst on-loan teenage Barnsley defender Jasper Moon is expected to be included in the squad, although fellow centre-half Joe Tait is set to start in back-to-back matches for the first time since Boxing Day, with the Minstermen chief adding: "I've spent all week assessing Jasper.

"It would have been too much of a gamble throwing him in last weekend after one training session but he has convinced me now on one or two things I wasn't sure about and he will definitely be involved in some way. But Joe Tait also deserved his chance last week having trained well, stayed patient and not kicked up a fuss, and I thought he didn't put a foot wrong."

With relegation now a mathematical impossibility and play-off qualification relying on a miraculous sequence of results, Watson is also asking his 13th-placed team to take the shackles off in their remaining five games.

"I'd like to see the players play with a bit more freedom and devilment," he reasoned. "I want them to express themselves and go for wins, because the draws aren't moving us anywhere."

Watson went on to remind players that they might need positive recommendations from him come next month too, if anybody was under the impression they now have no incentive to perform for the club.

"People from outside and the fans might have made their minds up on a lot of the players but I haven't," he declared. "Even if players have accepted their future won't be at York City, though, managers will still be asking me questions about them and I'm expected to give them honest answers.

"Football is quite a small community and I'll also be asking managers about players. Most will give you a straight answer and you don't want a reputation for being dishonest."

The former Gateshead boss revealed, meanwhile, that a number of potential 2019/20 targets are currently training with the club and he argued that the Minstermen remain a "huge draw" at sixth-tier level.

"I think, if you're asking players to move from clubs in this league, York City will be a huge draw, because we're a full-time club moving into a fantastic new stadium, with a great fan base and a competitive budget," he explained. "I will also be selling what I bought into in respect of the longer-term project in trying to get out of this league next season and keeping that momentum going."

Nevertheless, Watson admitted that luring the best experienced part-time players in the division to North Yorkshire might not be an option this summer.

"There are a lot of good part-time players around but, even when we were looking at takign them to Gateshead and Macclesfield at National League level, it was just not financially viable for a lot of them to give up their other jobs," he pointed out. "It's difficult to expect people who are in that situation at the age of 28 or 29 to do that.

"But, if players are younger, I'd say to them that they don't want to get to 35 and regret not giving yourself the chance to be a full-time footballer because, whether you're a plumber, a teacher or an electrician, you can always go back to that."

Watson insisted, too, that he would not be in favour of assimilating some part-time players into a full-time squad, saying: "I'd want everybody training for the same amount of time and it would be difficult to have a player who couldn't come in for two days, certainly through pre-season when everything will be intense and you're looking to build shape and a philosophy."