Stoke City summon back Nathan Lowe to train under Mark Robins
Nathan Lowe and Tommy Simkin have been back at Clayton Wood this week to meet and try to catch the eye of new Stoke City manager Mark Robins.
The academy graduates have been key players as Walsall have opened up a 10-point lead at the top of League Two heading into the second half of the season. Striker Lowe, aged 19, has scored 17 times in all competitions while 20-year-old keeper Simkin has already kept 12 clean sheets.
They have been back at their parent club to join training in a new regime - and they will know one of Robins' new assistants, Paul Nevin, who has called up both for England under-20s duty this season.
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Lowe has this week been nominated for League Two player of the month for December, having already been named EFL young player of the month in October. He scored five and set up another one - and started January by scoring the winner at promotion-chasing Notts County too. Walsall are next in action at home to Tranmere on Saturday.
An EFL citation said: "Gaining experience all the time, Lowe keeps on improving, sniffing out the right place to be, scoring five and assisting one of Walsall’s 11 goals. Three of his goals opened the scoring, too. The calmness with which he finishes is just a natural gift."
This week has been the first chance for Robins to really start to get to know the squad he has taken over and he was planning introductions after giving players a chance to catch their breath following a hectic schedule. Work cranked back up on Tuesday ahead of an FA Cup third round tie at Sunderland on Saturday.
Lowe said earlier this season: “I am just trying to domestically score as many goals as possible and get myself recognised through that and hopefully [my] parent club are watching and impressed with what I am doing.
“I want to just keep it going to be honest because at the end of the day it is just me enjoying my football and that is to get the best out of me.”
