Parrott is emerging as a key man for MK Dons again

Troy Parrott is starting to rediscover the form which saw him become a fast fan-favourite at MK Dons this season.

The Irish international, who celebrated his 20th birthday last week, has had mixed fortunes since arriving on loan from Tottenham in the summer.

Quickly making a name for himself with some lively and important performances in a Dons shirt, Parrott’s form began to fade as he came in and out of the squad on international duty and Covid protocols.

He also began to drop down the pecking order behind the likes of Max Watters, Scott Twine and Mo Eisa as goals, assists and even starts began to dry up.

With Watters recalled back to Cardiff City though, Parrott was offered more first team opportunities and he has repaid Liam Manning’s faith with a string of influential performances of late. While you’d have to look back to October for his last goal in a Dons shirt, and to September for his last league goal, Parrott has been key in recent weeks for Dons, putting in work-horse performances away at Wycombe and again at home against Lincoln City as Dons climbed into the top three in League One.

“He has been like that in the last few games,” said compatriot Warren O’Hora on Saturday, after Parrott teed up the defender to score what turned out to be the winning goal against Lincoln. “He does a lot of running and pressing for the team and it can go unnoticed sometimes but he has been brilliant in the last few weeks.”

Manning said the Irishman has needed to be patient and wait for his chances after his dip in form last year, but feels his performances of late have justified keeping him in the side.

He said: “Troy has had to be patient for his chance. He's shown a level of energy and intensity, he looks sharp and there is a challenge for him to keep that. He played a massive part today.

“I speak to him all the time, we're always talking to all of them about their levels of performance. When I pick a team, I pick what the team needs, and the challenge for the players it to force their way into it.

“People forget Troy is still developing. He's so young. He burst onto the scene and when that happens, the level of pressure and expectation goes through the roof.

“He's in a good spot. He now has to keep at this level and recognise why he's playing well and reflect and continue doing that. He looked good (against Lincoln).”