Stevenage boss says midfielder’s return to Watford was the best thing for both the player and the club

GRAHAM Westley says Josh Walker’s return to parent club Watford was ‘the best thing for everybody’ after the midfielder’s second loan spell at Stevenage failed to work out for both the club and the player.

Walker joined Boro on loan in August and was due to remain with the club until January but returned to Watford last week having made just five substitute appearances for Stevenage.

Speaking after the Leyton Orient game on Saturday Westley said: “It didn’t really work out for Josh as he would have liked, as I would have liked.

“He’s got a lot of talent as a footballer. He came in and I knew he wasn’t going to walk straight into the side but I was hoping he was going to develop and evolve and give us another option down the right hand side but it hasn’t quite worked out and he’s gone back to his parent club which is the best thing for everybody.”

Westley hinted that he would bring another player into his squad this week, but one he has already signed is Luke Freeman with the loan signing from Arsenal making his debut for the club on Saturday.

“He had a bright debut on the whole, Freeman,” Westley said. “He’s a terrific talent, terrific technical talent. He shows he’s got a work ethic and a hunger to go and win football matches and I think he had a very bright debut and showed he’s going to be a real asset for us.”