OUT-OF-CONTRACT Clovis Kamdjo wants the chance to win a new deal at York City by proving his worth in pre-season.

The 27-year-old utility man has only made one 82nd-minute substitute outing for City since suffering cruciate and anterior ligament damage to his knee back in November 2016.

That appearance came during this month’s 2-0 defeat to North Yorkshire neighbours Harrogate Town but, despite joining the club when the ambition was to bounce straight back into the Football League, Kamdjo is hoping he can stay on the Bootham Crescent books during a likely second season in National League North, having only managed 17 senior games during his two-year stay.

Kamdjo would be free to leave on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling at the end of this campaign but the former Cameroon under-17 international said: “I want to use the summer to get myself fired up, fit and ready for next season.

“The manager hasn’t really seen me fully fit so, hopefully, I can get to come back for a good pre-season, prove myself and see what happens. I’ve not really spoken to any other clubs because I’m 28 this year and, when you’ve been out injured, you don’t really talk to anybody until you’re fit.

“The manager has been OK with me and I just want him to judge me when I can show him what I can do. The way I see it I signed for York, but I’ve not really played much for the club and, when I got injured, I felt I was coming into form.”

City’s mathematical interest in the play-off positions will end tomorrow night if Spennymoor beat bottom-of-the-table North Ferriby.

Even if Ferriby pull off a shock, the Minstermen would still need to win at third-placed Brackley and then hope for favourable results from Saturday’s games involving Spennymoor (at home to Southport), Bradford Park Avenue (away at Kidderminster), Blyth Spartans (away at Nuneaton) and, perhaps, Boston United (home to Telford) if they win this evening at Nuneaton.

Kamdjo is hoping the game’s status as a virtual dead rubber could enhance his chance of more game time during the final game of the regular season, having been taken off after an hour of yesterday’s 2-1 reserve defeat at Morecambe with this weekend in mind.

“The season’s nearly done now,” he reasoned. “The play-off situation doesn’t look good and I just want to play, so I’m hoping I might get on or maybe even start.

“Your match fitness is never going to be 100 per cent just playing reserve games, as proper matches are always different and I want to show what I can do given the chance.”

Kamdjo returned to reserve action back in January and has played in seven more second-string fixtures since, but he craves senior duty, admitting that first outing in 17 months against Harrogate gave him a lift.

“That was a big moment,” he declared. “Mentally, it was great to feel that I was back in a proper game and it was a little boost after such a long lay-off.”

Having worked at close quarters with City boss Martin Gray in training, Kamdjo added that he feels the former Darlington manager’s demand for a strong work ethic from players will reap its rewards if he is still in charge next season.

“He’s honest in the way he wants you to play,” the former Forest Green and Barnet campaigner explained. “He wants you to work hard and get the ball forward.

“If you’re a hard-working player, you will get on with him, because he pushes you on and just wants you to do your job. He is very organised and wants everything to be done properly on the training ground, including set-pieces and you need that at this level.

“You also need players who want to be at National League North level and we’ll maybe see the best of him next season if he’s here, because there’s also uncertainty around the club at the moment.”

Gray remains unpopular, though, amid certain sections of the City support, with Kamdjo hoping those unsure of his managerial qualities will have their concerns quelled during the summer and opening months of next season.

“I can understand the fans’ frustration,” Kamdjo reasoned. “Any supporter would be annoyed with what’s happened here over the last three seasons, so they do all that shouting, but they’re still there watching because they love their team.

“I hope they can stick with the manager and he can recruit well and bring in his own players, because it’s hard when you’re taking over someone else’s contracted players and a fresh start is needed next season.”