Former York City ace Steve Bushell will keep a low profile even if scores on his return to Bootham Crescent tonight.

Low profile: Steve Bushell

Midfielder Bushell was hoping to bounce back into the Blackpool side against the Minstermen straight from the suspension that kept him out of the Tangerines' 1-0 home defeat by Stoke City on Saturday.

And he was keen to cap his return to form of late with a goal that would help the Lancashire visitors to some plunder from their visit to Bootham Crescent.

But if he does hit the target he pledged to celebrate rather less demonstratively than when he scored in the meeting of the Roses rivals at Bloomfield Road last October.

Then, when cancelling out a penalty from Neil Thompson, Bushell gestured his delight to the travelling City fans, who reacted with venom at the midfielder, who moved to Blackpool as an out of contract player last summer.

Bushell revealed there was a fear the police would get involved after that first east-west showdown, which ended in a 2-1 win for City after Scott Jordan's second-half winner.

Said Bushell: "I was told the police were looking for me afterwards for inciting the fans. They spoke to our gaffer (Nigel Worthington) and nothing came of it.

"I was just having a laugh. I never meant anything serious about it. The City fans were giving me stick and I went over to have a laugh with them, that's all.

"I would hope to be able to score again in the return match, but if I do I'll just have to keep my head down and walk back to the centre circle."

The midfielder, who spent ten years at City before his move last summer as a free agent under the Bosman ruling, is expecting more flak tonight from the Crescent faithful. City fans resented Bushell's switch to Blackpool after he had said he would agree new terms with the Minstermen before his departure.

"I know I am going to get some more grief. But I can take it," said Bushell. "I had some great times at the club and I've still got some good mates there.

"It's going to be funny when I go down the corridor before the match not to take the first left into the some dressing-room."

The Manchester-born dynamo said he was surprised that City had dropped down the table. "At Christmas it looked like they were in with an outside chance of the play-offs," he said.

"We still need the points ourselves, because the way things are in this division if you can string a run together over four or five games then you can be back in it again."

However, Bushell, who in eight seasons as a Minstermen made more than 200 League and cup appearances, still has to reclaim his first-team place after Saturday's loss against Stoke.

"When I first came to Blackpool I was very average, but in the last few games I have started to play well, more like I can," he said.

"I'm just hoping I'm going to be in the team tonight."

Tinkler ordered to cool it

City's midfielder-cum-defender Mark Tinkler has been ordered to control his fiery temper ahead of tonight's home game with Blackpool, writes Dave Stanford.

Tinkler is facing a three match ban, starting in 11 days time against Wigan Athletic, after his third sending-off of the season on Saturday.

Little said the news was a "big blow" for both club and player, describing Tinkler's disciplinary record this season as "appalling".

"In his honesty he has chased the referee," said Little on the City ace's red card, awarded for disputing a decision with referee Ray Olivier after an earlier caution.

"But he has got to learn to control his feelings. He is losing too many football matches and it has been a major concern this season," admitted the City chief.

Tinkler is likely to come up against former Leeds team-mate Andy Couzens tonight.

The former England Under-21 midfielder is currently on-loan at Bloomfield Road from Carlisle.

Another loan-ranger set to make his debut for the Seasiders is striker Simon Sturridge, 29, who manager Nigel Worthington secured from Stoke City after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Potters. It is expected Sturridge will come in for teenager Adam Nowland.

And the front-line will also be boosted by the return from injury of top-scorer Martin Aldridge.

Ironically, his last appearance at Bootham Crescent was at a pre-season friendly which he watched from the stand hoping to get fixed up with City after being released from Oxford United.

However, City boss Little felt he already had his quota of strikers.

Tonight's game was given the go-ahead after a pitch inspection this afternoon by local referee Craig Barker. City are likely to revert to 4-4-2 from the five at the back which figured at Bristol.

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