Steve Evans has revealed how it took “less than 30 seconds” to persuade Dannie Bulman to return to spearhead Crawley’s promotion push.

But boss Evans says it depends entirely on the midfielder’s performances during his loan spell whether he will be back at the club on a permanent basis.

Bulman, 30, will make the second appearance in his three-month loan from Oxford when Reds bid to regain top spot in the Blue Square Bet premier at home to Tamworth tonight.

He returned in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Rushden, 17 months after his last appearance in April 2009 before he left for Oxford on a free transfer and helped get them into the Football League.

Evans said: “I kept in touch with Dannie, as I do with a lot of the boys who have left, and I’m sure that had a major part in him coming back.

“He is a big hero for the fans and I’m sure he will be a favourite again if he can cement a permanent deal with us.

“There is a chance we can do something when the loan is up. Dannie would like that and so would Oxford but it depends on his performances during the next three months, not what he did for us two years ago and before that.”

Bulman, who made 126 appearances in his first spell with Crawley, has not figured in the Oxford team since September 11 and Evans had been trying to bring him to the club for a fortnight.

“He didn’t need a lot of persuading to come back,” revealed Evans. “It was one phone call lasting 30 seconds which showed he wanted to be back with us.

“On Sunday Dannie got better as the game wore on. He has missed a few weeks of action but he is still an outstanding player whom we never wanted to lose.”