SCOTT Neilson has opened the door on a Grimsby Town return, saying "If we can get something sorted, then great."
The winger is a free agent after his deal at Luton Town ended prematurely due to injury after just eight games.
And, following a hernia operation, the man who made such an impression during his three-month loan spell with the Mariners this season has revealed that a Blundell Park return could be on the cards.
"I met up with the bosses and the lads for a chat when they came down for the Luton game last month," Neilson told the Telegraph.
"I hadn't seen any of the lads since I left, so it was just good to have a catch-up with them.
"The managers said for me to get myself fit over the summer and that was it really.
"I got on well with Rob Scott and Paul Hurst, and had a good relationship with them, so it was nice to see them again.
"And, obviously, during my time there I got on really well with all the lads as well.
"I'm hoping to speak to the Grimsby managers again in the summer and if we can get something sorted, then great."
The 25-year-old helped put Town top of the Conference tree at Christmas with a string of impressive performances.
However, any hopes of a return to Cleethorpes in the New Year were scuppered when the wideman joined Luton for the remainder of the campaign.
And his comments that the Hatters were "more serious" about getting promotion were viewed by many Mariners fans as a parting shot.
"You've got to say the right things when you go into a new club, and the interview I did down there wasn't anything to do with Grimsby," explained Neilson.
"It sometimes just gets blown out of proportion like that and I had to laugh about it really.
"I spoke to Rob Scott and Paul Hurst after it happened and they were laughing about it as well – they knew it was one of those things.
"When they told me they'd welcome me back, they said 'you haven't done anything wrong for us to not want you back'."
Explaining his decision to head back south at the end of December, he said: "At the time, the plan was for me to just go on loan there for three months and I had that in my head.
"Now I've had all this time to think about it and I could plan to move my family somewhere up north, it's very different circumstances.
"It was so rushed that it didn't work out like that before.
"It's always in the back of your head, thinking 'I should have stuck it out there' but at the time and with my circumstances at home, I thought the right thing to do was to come home.
"It wasn't an easy decision and if Grimsby was closer to home I would have stayed there, no doubt.
"It was just the fact that it was so far away and the timing meant I had to move back south."
Regardless, the former Crawley Town man has been following the Mariners' promotion charge with interest after an enjoyable three months in North East Lincolnshire.
"There's nothing better than being part of a good dressing room, getting on well with the other players and being top of the league," he said.
"I had that at Crawley and it was the same feeling at Grimsby earlier this season.
"I've been keeping a close eye on them and it was a real shame to see them miss out on Sunday."
He continued: "I've just started getting back fit after my hernia operation, which I was carrying when I was at Grimsby anyway.
"I was missing a few training sessions back then due to my groin, so I'm glad I had the operation when I did and I'm working hard to get fit for next season.
"For most of the leagues they've still got the play-offs to sort out so it's a bit early to be looking at players.
"The main thing for me is to get myself fully fit and then hopefully the phone will start ringing later this month."
