His lengthy sabbatical and lack of match-fitness have combined to push him into a deeper, more thoughtful role.

After spending a year recovering, Bennett was loaned out to Shrewsbury Town to regain full match-fitness.

Branko Čulina expressed his surprise that Bridges had lasted so long and suggested that he would only improve as he continued to increase his match-fitness.

He remained at York as a player and, after suffering a serious ligament injury, joined Harrogate Town on loan in September 2005 in an attempt to regain match-fitness.

Gareth Wardlaw (ankle) and David Barron (calf) are still out and Nick Hegarty is looking for match-fitness after recovering from a broken ankle.

Having to act as a substitute behind first choice centre half Nyron Nosworthy, the Slovakian chose a one month loan deal to Burnley on 4 January 2008 to regain match-fitness.

It was his eighth goal in 10 games of a season in which he has been badly affected by injury and left out of Taylor's plans because of a question mark over his match-fitness.