‘There is the issue’ – Why Brighton loanee and rising national star had his EFL stint cut short

That is according to Gloucestershire Live’s Jon Palmer, who closely followed the Brighton youngster's stint at The Completely-Suzuki Stadium - where he made no starts over just six appearances

The Australian, who is seen as a rising star in his country, swapped Albion for the League One side in the summer but the move has not worked out, with the 21-year-old returning to the Sussex outfit this week.

So, why didn't Peupion, who started for the Seagulls' under-21s on Wednesday, play more for a team that sit bottom of the table and how did he fare when he was given a rare opportunity? Palmer has given Sussex World the inside track on an unproductive spell in Gloucestershire.

Why did Peupion play so little for Cheltenham?

Peupion joined Cheltenham at the end of August when they were in a difficult position with no goals scored in the opening six games and the previous manager Wade Elliott already under pressure. He made two appearances from the bench before Elliott was sacked and then featured once under caretaker boss Kevin Russell. Results continued to be tough and after one early opportunity in Darrell Clarke’s first game in charge as manager, he has been forced to be patient. Clarke inherited a squad with seven young loanees and only one of them has been starting regularly – defender Owen Bevan from Bournemouth.

Who kept him out of the team?

There is the issue of only five loans being permitted in a matchday squad of 18, which means at times the 21-year-old has been left out entirely. Clarke has also tended to rely on the more experienced players he has at his disposal, so 33-year-old Liam Sercombe has been playing in an attacking central midfield role in recent weeks. Peupion has gone on as a substitute recently, with their 1-1 draw at Bristol Rovers the first time he has been used and not been on the losing side.

When he has played, how has Peupion fared?

There were some clever touches and examples of his technical ability against Bristol Rovers, where he played for the last 25 minutes, allowing Clarke to change formation, forming a front three with Aidan Keena and Arsenal prospect Nathan Butler-Oyedeji. There have been times when he may have found the physical challenge of League One difficult, but it is unfair to judge him fully due to the limited number of minutes he has been given so far.

One of Cheltenham’s loans, Luciano D’Auria-Henry returned to Fulham early after not featuring in the matchday squad after coming back from injury problems. A possible return for Peupion to Brighton was previously discussed by Clarke but the Australian decided to stay and fight for his place in a bid to make a positive impact and he should be commended for that.

However, Cheltenham have too many loanees not playing regular football and the squad needs trimming down. He looks skilful and tidy but Cheltenham are in a huge battle and a loan elsewhere in the new year would be more beneficial.