Striker Tristan Abrahams has today joined National League promotion chasers Grimsby Town on a half-season loan deal.
Abrahams, 23, teamed up with the Blues on a two-year deal ahead of the 2021/22 season and has scored four goals in his 27 appearances so far.
Manager Keith Millen said: “We had interest in Tristan so I spoke to him about that. I was happy for him to stay and fight for his place.
“He thought about it, and he felt that he needed to be playing games regularly, which I do agree with.
“This offer came for him and it gives him a chance to go somewhere and hopefully play every week. He wants that, and as we say with every loan we want him to show everybody that he can be the best player on that pitch.
“I know he’ll be well looked after at Grimsby, and I hope that between now and the end of the season he does well, he scores goals, and that will mean that he’s in a much better place come the summer.
“We want him to be full of confidence and playing well, with another year on his contract, because there are no issues with him at all.
“Like I say, I’d have been pleased if he’d said that he’d stay to compete for his place, but I felt I had to be honest with him in telling him about the interest, and he’s made his decision from that.
“I completely understand that, he’s desperate to play, so I hope he has a run of games and form that are beneficial for everyone, and that he does really well.”
London-born Abrahams started out as a youngster with Leyton Orient and signed his first professional deal with the O’s in November 2016.
A run of games at the end of that season saw him score his first senior goals as he bagged twice in two consecutive outings against Luton and Hartlepool respectively.
He enjoyed a four-game loan spell with Cambridge City before making the switch to Norwich for an undisclosed fee in 2017.
Loan spells with Orient, Exeter and Yeovil followed whilst with the Canaries, and he left Carrow Road to join Newport County on a two-year contract in the summer of 2019.
He bagged 18 goals in 74 appearances in all competitions at Rodney Parade and spent the second half of last season back where it all began, at the Breyer Group Stadium, playing in another 14 games for the Orient.
