It’s hard to keep everyone happy, especially when you’ve got more attacking midfielders than available shirts.
That’s the situation City face this summer, and the discussion around JJ is a prime example of how squad depth can create more questions than answers.
The midfielder, whom I am a big fan of and who I wish we’d seen more of, looks poised to join Burton Albion on loan for the season. It created a lot of debate on Twitter, so I recorded a video on it. Sadly, my mic dropped out, so I’ve written it instead.
Burton Albion have agreed a deal to re-sign Lincoln midfielder JJ McKiernan on loan. McKiernan spent the second half of last season on loan at Burton helping them secure survival. #bafc #Imps pic.twitter.com/zWXl9sIAAD
— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) June 20, 2025
JJ and the Challenge of a Crowded Attack
When fans ask why JJ didn’t feature more prominently last season, the answer isn’t necessarily wrapped in drama or controversy—it’s competition. Between Ben House, Jack Moylan, Tom Bayliss, Erik Ring, Jovon Makama, Conor McGrandles, Reeco Hackett, and even youngster Zane Okoro, the roles JJ can fill are already hotly contested. For all the talk of “rotation” or “freezing out,” the reality is simpler: only so many players can be prioritised, and JJ has been down the list.
His injury against Morecambe didn’t help – had he impressed in that game, perhaps he would have forced a few more league matches. The simple truth is that he just ran out of games, so off he went on loan. That loan was a success, we’re led to believe, but it doesn’t change the situation here in terms of competition.
If he were to go out again, it doesn’t mean he’s not good enough, nor does it prove a falling out with Michael Skubala. Managers reassess squads constantly, particularly in a side evolving its identity and shape. Players drift in and out of favour depending on form, tactics, and injuries. It’s not an agenda—it’s the job.
Some fans, inevitably, will find fault no matter what the club does. Start JJ, and it’ll be “too much tinkering.” Leave him out, and it’s “a waste of a signing.” Loan him and it’s “terrible business.” Sell hi,m and suddenly the club is “giving up too soon.”
Loan Move Logic
In reality, a loan move could be the best all-around solution. If JJ heads to a League Two side or a fellow League One outfit, the benefits are obvious. He stays sharp, continues developing, and—crucially—remains happy. A loan also helps balance the books; we certainly won’t be paying all of his wages, whether the loaning team cover all or some, which matters in a tight summer budget. More importantly, his value is protected. If he performs, his stock rises. If he struggles, the damage is done on someone else’s watch.
Jez George’s comments earlier this summer underlined the current stance. While Robert Street was described as someone who’s already “proved himself,” JJ was spoken about as a player who “needs to.” There’s no malice in that—just a clear-eyed assessment of where players are in their development curve. Of course, one could say that Rob Street proved himself a level below ours, whereas McKiernan might not have got the same headlines, but he was at least in League One.
Of course, some fans still argue JJ deserves another look, especially after showing form during his loan spell. That’s fair, and honestly, I’d have loved to see him in red and white for the first six months of the season. What I’m trying to do is look at the situation objectively. Success in a different system, in a different league, doesn’t guarantee opportunities in our evolving shape. Rob Street, whom JJ is compared to, played in a system identical to ours. JJ did not – he appeared in a 3-5-2 or variations of that.
Writer’s View
JJ is a good player—technically sound, committed, and clearly with something to offer. But football is a numbers game, and our numbers in the midfield department are heavy. I don’t subscribe to the notion that it is a ‘position we have struggled in’ – like-for-like players range from Tom Bayliss to Ethan Hamilton, Jack Moylan to Ben House, as we have options. I feel the club do still believe in JJ, and so a loan deal makes strategic sense rather than a sale.
It doesn’t mean he is done at the Bank. It just means his pathway might temporarily lie elsewhere. Sometimes the best way forward is sideways—and if he returns next year sharper, stronger and with more minutes under his belt, nobody will be complaining then.
Well, maybe not nobody. But fewer, at least.