RYAN Aldridge revealed that Floyd Taylor could have been back in the fold for last weekend’s clashes with the Peterborough Phantoms and Telford Tigers but did not want to take the risk.

The 19-year-old, who was named in the GB under 20s squad alonside Cats teammates Ollie Betteridge, Callum Buglass and Michael Stratford yesterday, has been on the sidelines ever since suffering a concussion in the Swindon Wildcats’ challenge victory over the MK Lightning back in September, with the teenager injured when he was slammed against the boards.

However Aldridge was keen to give Taylor more time for recovery and is instead planning to throw the forward back into the fray when Swindon host the Guildford Flames and travel to the Bracknell Bees this weekend.

D-man Buglass, 18, was also missing last Saturday and Sunday after suffering a concussion of his own in Swindon’s away trip to Peterborough on October 5 and the Wildcats chief says that head injuries need to be managed with caution.

“I probably could have played Floyd last weekend but for me, at his age, waiting another week for him to be 100 per cent was the right thing to do,” said Aldridge.

“He might well have been 100 per cent last weekend but I’d rather wait another seven days and make sure that he’s safe for the rest of the season, and his career.

“Callum’s got a slight concussion as well. That one is day-by-day and he was still feeling sick before the weekend.

“At their age, you just can’t be pushing them and I’m not prepared to push them anyway.

“(Concussion) is getting bigger and bigger, especially nowadays. I think when we were younger, it was ‘you’ve had the night off now, let’s get going’.

“But I think it’s too serious now and they don’t truly know the end effects of it – it’s just not worth it.”