GARY Megson has not closed the door on a Reebok return for Nicky Hunt.

The unsettled full-back was shipped out on loan to Birmingham City to gain some first team action – a move which many speculated would spell the end of a seven-year career with his hometown club.

But Megson has kept a keen eye on the 25-year-old in his three outings for the Blues thus far and says he will welcome a fully-fit Hunt back into his threadbare squad on his return.

“He hasn’t been sent out to put himself in the shop window, just purely to get some football under his belt,” he said.

“It suits Birmingham because their two right-backs, Stephen Kelly and Stuart Parnaby, are injured.

“From our point of view, it suits in terms of getting Nicky games but not the size of the squad. We felt we had to take a chance on it a little bit because he has been kicking his heels for a long time now.

“But it is certainly not the end for him. You don’t know what is round the corner for anybody.”

Hunt had not figured at all for Wanderers’ first team this season yet his exit, alongside that of fellow forgotten man Blerim Dzemaili, left Megson painfully thin of first team cover on his bench.

The situation could worsen this week, with the news that striker Heidar Helguson could finally wrap-up his loan move to QPR on his return from international duty with Iceland.

It could leave Megson with just 16 senior players to choose from for the weekend’s trip to Middlesbrough.

But it is a risk worth taking for the Whites boss – who says he will continue to gamble with a small squad until the January window.

“Our squad is wafer, wafer thin and it had to be done because of where we were 12 months ago,” he said. “It’s like pruning roses, it had to be taken right back to hopefully be able to move on again.

“Nicky Hunt going over there is a big risk for us but he needed to play some football. He wants to play football, he’s a senior pro, we have let him go down there for a month and we’ll see where we go after that.”

Of the other loaness, Dzemaili looks set to make his move to Tornio permanent in January after impressing in Serie A and reserve team regular Nathan Woolfe scored on debut for Wrexham at the weekend.

Academy products Robert Layton and David Gbmie signed for Conference North club Burscough.

Former Wolves striker Andy Mutch has recruited the pair for a month and both played in the Linnets’ recent home defeat to Stalybridge Celtic.