MICHAEL Coulson could return to the York City fold for tomorrow’s Capital One Cup home clash with Bradford City.

The 27-year-old attacker played no part in the Minstermen’s pre-season programme due to a heel problem but has resumed full training ahead of the first round tie at Bootham Crescent.

City chief Russ Wilcox must now decide whether to include Coulson in his squad, having opted to use Jake Hyde – another player who spent the whole of City’s friendly schedule in the treatment room – as a second-half substitute at Wycombe.

“Michael Coulson has trained with us and, while I don’t want to rush him back, he is a fit boy so he could be involved,” Wilcox said. “Emile (Sinclair) is also getting closer and has been working with (physio) Jeff (Miller) but the game will come too soon for him.”

The City boss also confirmed that John McCombe, who was not even named as a substitute after being left out of the starting XI at Wycombe, will return to the squad against the Bantams.

Whilst adding that changes from the weekend were possible as he gauges player responses to the 3-0 loss, Wilcox also stressed that he would not be looking to rotate his squad with a victory in the competition not deemed any less worthy than three league points.

“After Saturday’s result, we will be looking at personnel and personalities in terms of how they react to certain situations,” he reasoned. “It’s nice to try and give players minutes but we want to get a result and that means putting the best side out because getting through to the second round would be great for us.

“We’ve got 45 games and 135 points left to play for in the league and what better way to move on from Saturday than a Capital One Cup tie against Bradford. It’s a Yorkshire derby and we’re at home.”

Wilcox also argued that City’s pre-season victory over Premier League Newcastle and draws with Championship pair Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday should offer encouragement ahead of the visit of League One Bradford.

He said: “I’m hoping that we can have the same kind of crowd we got for our big games in pre-season and we should go into the tie with confidence after the way we played against Newcastle, Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday. It will be a difficult tie but it’s an exciting one.” Wilcox is hoping, meanwhile, that City supporters can refrain from the abuse he received from a section of the away end on Saturday.

“If you’ve been beaten 3-0 and were awful then you hold your hands up but I don’t think it was a poor display,” he pointed out. “I know it was only a few fans and the majority have been fantastic and very supportive from the first day I walked into York City and were again on Saturday during a difficult afternoon.

“I understand people’s frustrations and nobody is more frustrated than myself, my staff and the players. We know we can do better and defend better but the individuals that made mistakes probably won’t make the same ones again.”

If the score is level after 90 minutes tomorrow, then the game will go to extra-time after which, if a winner has still not been decided, a penalty shoot-out will take place – a possibility that City have prepared for on the training ground.

“We’ve had a little practice,” Wilcox revealed. “But they’re very difficult to replicate because it’s different taking one with fresh legs, than it is when you’ve played for 120 minutes.”

Recalling his own personal League Cup highlights, Wilcox cited last season’s 2-1 victory for his Scunthorpe team at Blackburn, along with winning a new appliance for his living room and being given the shirt of a former England star.

“I won a Rumbelows telly for being man-of-the-match in a game against QPR,” the City boss smiled. “I also remember playing against Teddy Sheringham and he signed his shirt for my eldest son afterwards.

“We drew 1-1 at Preston and then lost 3-0 in the away leg at Tottenham. I saw him recently at a referees’ conference but he couldn’t remember the match!”