THE Bootham Crescent door has not been closed on York City midfielder Lee Bullock following his loan switch to Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Gateshead.

Bullock has been told he could still play a part in the Minstermen’s season by manager Gary Mills despite signing for the Heed for an initial month.

The Stockton-born 31-year-old has made just one league start for City during his second spell at the club following a summer move from Bradford.

That came during the disappointing 3-1 opening day home defeat to Wycombe Wanderers when he was substituted after 56 minutes and Bullock has not featured at all since a substitute outing against Fleetwood back on October 2, failing to make the seven-strong bench in recent matches.

“It’s not quite worked out for him,” Mills said of Bullock’s return to Bootham Crescent. “He can still play a part in our season but he’s frustrated and needs games.

“He’s conducted himself in exactly the right way though and I’ve had no problems on that front.

“Gateshead’s not a million miles from where he lives and they are a good club with a good manager who likes to play a style of football that will suit Lee’s passing game.”

Left-back Charlie Taylor, meanwhile, has returned to Leeds United before the second month of his loan spell with City had expired, having fallen behind Jamal Fyfield and Danny Blanchett in the pecking order for a starting place.

But Mills is hoping to extend Peterborough midfielder Danny Kearns’s loan stay in North Yorkshire to a second month, adding: “I’ve had a chat with him this week and he’s up for that so it’s down to Peterborough whether they want him back or are willing to let him out again, which we should find out early next week.”