 He made his first league appearance on 16 December, starting in a 1–0 win over Hull City, due to the club being left without a recognised striker.Pilkington managed to find the net in a 4–0 win over Sunderland and in a FA Cup at Mansfield Town.His return to the first team led to Warnock stating that there could still be a future for the striker, despite offers during the January transfer window.