Marvin Sordell will not become a £3million forgotten man, Owen Coyle has pledged.

Despite dropping his January signing from the squad for Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday, the Wanderers boss insists the England Under-21 international still has a big part to play this season.

Sordell started the first three games of the campaign and scored his first goal since his costly move from Watford against Nottingham Forest almost a month ago to the day.

But since being dropped to the bench against Crawley in the Capital One Cup, the 21-year-old has been starved of opportunities.

Coyle explained his decision to leave Sordell out altogether for the weekend trip to Hillsborough.

“I think that David Ngog and Kevin Davies have been doing well as a pair up front, so when it came to picking my bench, we knew that Jay Spearing’s fitness had been touch and go, so we felt that we needed to put that extra midfielder in there.

“Stephen Warnock can play there and he scored against us last year from that position, so I felt it was important we had that option.”

Sordell was recruited nearly eight months ago on transfer deadline day but has thus far just three first team starts under his belt.

Fans have been clamouring to see more of the striker, who also represented Team GB at this summer’s Olympics, although the youngster may have to be patient with Ngog, Davies and loanee Benik Afobe seemingly ahead of him in the queue.

“He missed out on this occasion but there’s no doubt his day will come,” Coyle said.

“There are only 11 first team shirts and since the Hull result I think we have improved, accepting we didn’t get the result we wanted at Birmingham.

“Tim Ream and Gregg Wylde were the other ones who missed out but that just tells me that we’ve got a healthy squad and some great competition. It’s up to the ones who are in now to make the most of it because I have got the scope to chop and change.”

Meanwhile, Blue Square Bet Premier side Hyde United have announced that they have signed young Wanderers defender Ben Dennis on a work experience loan.