Cheltenham Town midfielder Tommy Backwell is set for a loan move to National League South side Weston-Super-Mare until the end of the season.
Backwell now links up with former Town goalkeeper prospect Max Harris as well as the experienced EFL Cheltenham defender Scot Bennett, who has also made a loan move to the Seagulls this month.
Tommy Backwell joined Town on a 6-month loan in the 2025 January transfer window, but it took just under a month before the switch would become permanent from Bristol City, with the 22-year-old’s contract set to expire in the summer.
Originally signed by previous management, Backwell has slipped down the pecking order competing for a spot in the starting XI against the likes of Ben Stevenson, Luke Young and the now recently departed Liam Kinsella.
The former Bristol City academy player made 13 appearances in League Two last season, managing to bag himself a goal in the process.
This season, Backwell has only made one appearance this season, a 1-1 draw against Salford City in League Two last August as well as three appearances in the Vertu Trophy and one in the Carabao Cup against Cardiff City.
Tommy Backwell as a case study is something that most football fans are familiar with and this looks to be no different.
By no means is this an indicator of Tommy Backwell as a player, simply that he has been caught between a major shift for Cheltenham Town following a manager and hierarchy shift as the Robins enter a new era.
When manager Steve Cotterill returned to the club this season, he was keen on giving everyone a run-out before ultimately seeing who he wants to take with him on this journey.
Sometimes in football, it just comes down to fitting a certain player profile or a particularly system and not because of ability.
This loan move could be a way for Backwell to get some minutes and potentially show Cotterill what he can bring for next season if he earned a contract extension.
However, it most likely indicates that perhaps a move in the summer is on the cards upon his contract expiring at the end of the season and this is a chance to impress a potential employer.
