LEE Bullock has insisted that he will concentrate solely on York City's bid for a play-off spot for as long as he is a Minstermen player.

The 22-year-old midfielder flew back from a three-day trial at Cardiff on Thursday and will be the subject of transfer discussions between Chris Brass and Bluebirds boss Lennie Lawrence next week.

Such speculation often unsettles players but Bullock said: "It's up to the manager if he picks me but it's York City that pay my wages and York City who I have played for all my life. Going to Cardiff for a week does not change anything."

In fact, Bullock admitted that he has dwelled more on his crucial miss in last Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Hull and he was hoping for the opportunity to make amends against Mansfield today.

"I was gutted by that miss," Bullock said. "I'm not a centre forward but I should have scored and won us the game. I've been playing it over in my mind but Michael Owen went nine games without scoring and then banged one in this week so even the best players miss chances."

Bullock flew to Cardiff after a request from Lawrence and City's longest-serving player admitted he was impressed with Welsh club's set-up.

He said: "It was a nice change to train with First Division players and see how you compete against them. I thoroughly enjoyed the three days training.

"They have different facilities and a different way of looking after you. The club arranged for me to fly from Newcastle to Cardiff so it only took 50 minutes and I stayed at the hotel the Welsh team use so I was looked after brilliantly.

"It's also the daft little things like not having to take your kit home and being given food before and after training and Lucozade during sessions. We get looked after well at York but it's what money can buy and the higher you are the better it gets."

Brass had given permission for Bullock to play for Cardiff's reserves on Wednesday but international clearance complications meant it was unlikely that he would then have been available to face Mansfield today.

"I think the Cardiff gaffer wanted me to play but it's just one of those things," Bullock said. "He saw a lot of me in training where we worked a lot on possession, passing, attacking, crossing and finishing - all the stuff you enjoy as a player.

"Lennie Lawrence just said he was impressed with me and that now he knows more than he did. I don't want to say too much because it's between the two clubs now but I hope he thought I was a decent player."

Updated: 10:03 Saturday, February 14, 2004