BRAD WALKER has, for the last couple of seasons, had a career stuck in first gear.

After emerging from the youth ranks to great acclaim and praise in the 2013/14 season, the 21-year-old has found it hard to secure a place in the first-team.

Ronnie Moore became frustrated after he couldn’t work out how to get the best out of him, Craig Hignett didn’t manage to get him going and kept him back.

But as Sam Collins picked the team for the win over Stevenage a month ago, Walker was given a rare start. He made the most of it, named man of the match.

He’s since started in all of Dave Jones’ games, but there could be a new role for him today.

Pools take on Plymouth at the Northern Gas and Power Stadium with a depleted squad on the back of two away defeats.

With Matthew Bates facing a couple of weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring strain, Rob Jones no nearer a return from a knee injury, Toto Nsiala sold on and Liam Donnelly a doubt, Walker is in line to start in the back four this afternoon.

After Bates hobbled off at Luton on Tuesday, Walker played the majority of the game in the back line – and Jones was impressed.

“I looked along the bench the other night and all I saw was Sam Collins,’’ joked the manager of his coach. “Then I looked beyond him…. and I didn’t see anything other than youth.

“It was either drop Nicky Featherstone in there or Brad and it seemed sensible as they were banging balls up there and I don’t think he let anyone down.

“He maybe shocked himself, but it proved if you are committed then if you give your all and give it 100 per cent you can do a job.’’

Jones arrived at Pools with no pre-conceived ideas about any of his charges, something which is proving of benefit for Walker.

“He’s had two years of learning,’’ said Jones of Walker’s spell out of the first-team. “He’s actually one of the senior players now and the two years he has just had he has still been around the first-team and it’s part of his development.

“He’s at that learning stage and there is still a lot more to come from him. If he can develop as a player, either midfield or is centre-half his position?’’

And Jones recalled how profitable a switch of roles proved for one of his former Southampton players in looking at how Walker could benefit from playing a deeper role.

“I remember having Wayne Bridge as a left-winger and we moved him to left-back,’’ said Jones. “Most of the time, as a winger, he was playing with his back to goal and having to turn, he’s facing his own team.

“As soon as we switched him around and played him deeper then he was a totally different player. That might work with Brad.

“But you only find out by trying different things.’’

Today’s back line could consist of Joe Fryer (21) in goal and Kenton Richardson (17) at right-back who will both make their second appearances. Walker and Scott Harrison (23) in the middle and on loan Sean Kavanagh (23) on the left.

“It’s strange, but Brad and Scott (Harrison) are the senior players across the back five and how old are they – little over 20,’’ mused Jones.

“It’s ridiculous really, but if they can continue to grow then there’s no reason why we can’t progress. We all want it yesterday and is it unfair to rely on them? Sometimes you have the senior players around them to help, but they’ve not got that and have to learn quickly.’’

Experience is missing from the squad, with a number of senior players sidelined. Billy Paynter remains out with an Achilles problem, Trevor Carson (shoulder) is out of the season and Carl Magnay is still a few weeks short of a return after knee surgery.

Jones added: “Batesy has had a scan, nothing has come up really serious so I think we are looking at 10-14 days.

“We have lost Batesy, we lost Liam who could have moved to centre-half from right-back, but with a young squad we are dipping into the scholars.

“We need everyone to step up to the plate now, young players and experienced, and if we do that then the club will move forward.

“We have lost key players – Billy, Mags, Trevor, Liam – four senior players out of the squad and we have to chop and change with the youngsters we have. There’s no depth to the squad and we will address that at the end of the season.

“But we said after Tuesday we saw something we liked and we need to build on that.’’