Very strange situation, it's like we've given up on him without giving him a chance.

I wouldn't go that far, but it definitely seems as though the coaching staff feel he's got some way to go before he's ready for SL. That much was clear when he didn't get selected to go to Florida for pre-season with the 1st team, going to France with the u19s instead.

It is a strange one though, we clearly didn't sign a 23 year old to play anywhere other than in our first team, a full pre-season should have got him to the required fitness levels and you'd have thought enough research had been done on him during scouting to ensure his playing standards were up to scratch.

It may well be my memory, but I'm sure that when he signed something was said, along the lines of "he is one for the future, and won't figure so much in the first team as yet" Most likely my fading memory..

Phil Wilkinson on Twitter says that Wane made it clear that Hopkins was a long term prospect and still in his plans

Good to hear that, it was a big call for Sam to move last year and many advised him it was a year too early for him. If it suits both parties a year loan would probably be best for his development followed by a big pre season