Ben Jackson has not featured recently for Bolton Wanderers as Ian Evatt feels he has the best left-back in the country outside the Championship in the form of Declan John ahead of him in the pecking order.
The 20-year-old joined the Trotters on loan from Championship side Huddersfield Town in January and has played four games for Wanderers so far.
All those appearances were starts in League Two, but Jackson has not played a minute of football for Bolton since the home draw against Morecambe in early February.
Since then, fellow loanee Declan John has returned from a hamstring injury picked up when he initially joined from Swansea City and has gone on to establish himself as the club's first choice left-back.
Jackson was on the bench for the next six matches, but has not been part of the matchday squad for the last five matches.
Evatt has explained why he has decided against naming Jackson in the matchday 18 of late, preferring to name attackers and versatile players on the bench.
This has included Harry Brockbank, who can play across the back four, being named as part of the matchday squad at the expense of Jackson.
But Evatt is pleased with what he has seen from Jackson and believes the youngster is learning a lot from observing John and what it takes to play at a high level, believing he is next in line for the left-back slot behind the Swansea loanee.
The Bolton boss said: “He’s doing really well. He’s a good young player.
"He’s unfortunate that he’s probably sat behind the best left-back outside the Championship in my opinion in Declan John.
"Also when you’re naming substitutes, I like to name attackers but also players that can play in multiple positions that can cover different areas.
"Harry can play centre-back, right-back, he’s played left-back whereas Ben is more an out and out left-back so Harry gives me more options.
"Ben understands the situation. He’s next in line to Declan and actually it’s good for him to watch Declan play and train and learn from him and learn the qualities of what’s needed to play at a high level because I believe Dec’s got them and Ben’s got them also.”
