The world of football moves so quickly, particularly in the realm of Bristol Rovers, that one can quickly become the forgotten man.
But Luke Thomas had a little reminder for Gasheads on Sunday night while the hangover of yet another away defeat was still causing a throbbing headache.
A reminder that he is determined to make an impact and, ultimately, get his once-promising career back on track, and it took one word to issue a statement of intent.
"Ready," Thomas tweeted, with an accompanying picture of him donning a Rovers training shirt.
This is a player Joey Barton had pegged as a crucial part of his promotion bid, but Thomas has barely been seen on the pitch since an eye-catching pre-season following his loan move from Barnsley.
The manager has been concerned by the 22-year-old's fitness levels after a turbulent year on and off the pitch affected his reserves of endurance, ordering the Cheltenham Town product to complete a "mini pre-season" with Rovers' strength and conditioning lead Tom Short over the past fortnight.
Thomas was not named in the squad for the games against Crawley Town and Hartlepool United as a result, doing his work only at The Quarters to ensure he is in the required condition for his talent to shine through.
On Sunday, Gasheads were made aware of Thomas' belief that he is primed for action, and his confident post implied he is "ready" in another regard.
After a disastrous loan move to Ipwsich Town came to an end, Thomas was courageous and open in revealing on social media in April he was struggling mentally.
After a few weeks away from the game, a move closer to his Gloucestershire family home has given him an opportunity to reset as a person and footballer.
And he is a fine footballer, a former England youth international who cost Barnsley £1.2million just two years ago and played regularly in the Championship. In different circumstances, it would be laughable to think the winger would become a League Two player so soon.
But it is the hand he has been dealt and he will be desperate to make the best of it. Football is a cruel business and has little respect for talent alone. His ability is deserving of a place higher up the pyramid but he will have to earn it.
Barton, of course, will be the judge of whether Thomas comes straight into the fold, but this is a team that has scored just five goals in seven league games to date, never hitting more than one in a game.
The need for attacking inspiration is clear, and that is just what Thomas provided late in pre-season to inject life into Rovers.
The relationship both parties have in mind is a short yet sweet one, with Thomas rediscovering the vigour and form that made him a seven-figure investment and getting back towards the level he should be playing at – with Rovers reaping the benefits in the meantime.
His audacious Panenka penalty in the friendly win over Oxford United was a glimpse of the arrogance essential to be a high-level player.
The Gas have perhaps been guilty of showing too much respect to League Two and its myths. At the end of 90 minutes, most of the time, quality will prevail and it is time for these players to show theirs.
With Rovers off the pace in the early running, it is time for Barton to unleash the man he called Rovers' "X-factor" upon his arrival in BS7.
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