YORK City boss Nigel Worthington is happy to give Adam Reed a second chance despite his decision to turn down a move to Bootham Crescent in the summer.

Reed has rejoined the Minstermen following his successful loan spell from Sunderland at the end of last season.

The 22-year-old midfielder scored two goals that proved crucial in the fight to preserve City’s Football League status during 2012/13 after playing the last six games of the campaign on loan from Sunderland.

Having being released by the Black Cats, however, Reed signed for Sky Bet League Two Burton instead of agreeing permanent terms with Worthington.

He had been completely frozen out of the Brewers’ first-team plans for three-and-a-half months, though, prior to a 75th-minute substitute outing at home-town Hartlepool the weekend before Christmas.

But Reed and Burton have agreed to part company following the reopening of the transfer window, with Worthington handing him a deal until the end of the season.

The City boss is still hoping to recruit Cheltenham midfielder Russell Penn but, on his swoop for Reed, Worthington said: “We are pleased to get Adam in.

“I spoke to him in the summer and was a bit disappointed when he went to Burton. It hasn’t worked out for him there so we are giving him another opportunity to get his career up and running at this football club.

“Hopefully, he can do as good a job as he did for us last season although he hasn’t played many games recently and might need to get up to speed with his match fitness.”

The Minstermen have, meanwhile, agreed to extend Ben Davies’ loan stay from Preston but Elliott Whitehouse and Ryan Brobbel have returned to their respective parent clubs Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.

Worthington is also hoping to turn centre-back Keith Lowe’s loan move from Cheltenham into a permanent switch, saying: “We are working very hard to bring Keith Lowe in and that would be a big plus for us. He’s a great professional around the place.

“Ben Davies will be staying with us because Preston have agreed to that but Elliott Whitehouse and Ryan Brobbel are going back to their clubs. Elliott has put in a good shift for us and he’s a bit disappointed to be leaving but I feel we need a bit more experience and loan players do not come to clubs to sit on benches or not be involved.

“I’ve had a small discussion with Ryan and he wants to be playing but I can only fit 11 players into a team.”