Lincoln City boss explains Teddy Bishop fitness plan after early withdrawal

Michael Appleton says Lincoln City are continuing to tread carefully with Teddy Bishop’s fitness after revealing why the midfielder was brought off early against Portsmouth on Tuesday.

The former Ipswich Town playmaker has had stop-start season so far.

There have been flashes of quality, but he has failed to string a run of games together due to niggling injuries.

Against Portsmouth, he was brought off early in the second half and replaced by striker Daniel Nlundulu in what looked to be a tactical change.

However, Bishop was taken off on the advice of the club’s medical staff.

“It wasn’t tactical, it was more medical,” said Appleton.

“It’s not that there’s anything wrong with him. Because he’s missed so much training since the game against Bowers [in the FA Cup], the advice from my medial people was no more than 60 minutes because then we’d put him at risk for further games.

“It was always going to be the case that he couldn’t play more than 60 minutes. Did it make us weaker, taking Teddy Bishop off? Yes it did.

“But the reality is, we want Teddy being fit for a number of games and be able to play consistently.

“I seemed to take a lot of stuff on the chin the other night, but I did it for all the right reasons.

“Any flak or any questions that are pointed at me, brilliant, because I’d like to think, going forward, we’ll be in a much stronger position.”

Another player are managing carefully is Adam Jackson, who was left on the bench for the Portsmouth game.

Appleton admitted the defender’s aerial prowess was sorely missed against Danny Cowley’s side, but the decision to leave him out was based on ensuring his availability for upcoming games.

Jackson is set to return to the starting line-up for Saturday’s game against Accrington Stanley, with TJ Eyoma the player most likely to make way.