SCOTT Neilson's Blundell Park return can bring out the best in Grimsby Town's squad.
That's the view of joint boss Rob Scott after the tricky winger rubber-stamped his Mariners return this week.
The wideman, who turns 26 today, made a big impression during his three months on loan in Cleethorpes last season.
And after helping Town to top spot before moving on, his co-manager believes he can again bring out the best in the likes of left-back Aswad Thomas and striker Ross Hannah.
"Sometimes you don't always appreciate what you've got until it's not there," Scott told the Telegraph.
"We knew Scotty would be a big loss to us and, although we coped fairly well without him, he was a loss – there's no getting away from that.
"He can pick the ball up fairly deep and create things for you.
"He enhanced Aswad's (Thomas) game as well. He liked to come inside off the wing playing in a 4-4-2 and allow Aswad to overlap.
"It certainly helped As out and invited him up the pitch, which is one of his main fortes.
"So Scott brings more than just what he can do – he adds to other players as well.
"We saw that in his very first game with us, against Luton, when he put Ross Hannah away for his first goal."
Despite just eight Hatters appearances for Neilson in the second half of the season and a hernia operation to boot, Scott had no qualms about bringing the skillful wideman back.
"We're pleased to have him back on board and we've been working on that one for a while," the joint boss remarked.
"Even after he went to Luton we kept in contact and monitored how he was going.
"Things didn't work out how he had hoped there but that gave us the chance to go back in for him."
Scott added: "He's got an air of confidence about him and got on really well with all the lads.
"Obviously Scott has got a bit of history but we know how we need to manage him.
"That's sometimes what you get with players of Scott's quality, who have that bit of flair.
"He's got an edge to him off the field but hopefully has calmed down a bit now and realised that he needs to knuckle down.
"It's a big year for him. He's dipped his toes here and people will be expecting big things of him."
