YORK City club captain Steve McNulty is set to be named again in the team heading down to AFC Telford United tomorrow.

McNulty’s return to the York squad for Saturday “is good news for everybody,” Watson says, and has indicated other positive updates from the treatment room.

Dan Maguire "is a lot closer" while Kallum Griffiths - who is carrying a foot injury - is also on the mend following an operation.

Neither will make National League North leaders' York's game in Shropshire (3pm), however.

“(McNulty) is an honest lad, he knows his body inside-out, and this week he’s been very positive," Watson said of McNulty, who he reports has had a good week of training.

“It’s always a risk after a muscle injury, whether you should wait a bit longer, but the physio’s told us the symptoms are gone. He feels strong and raring to go.

“Dan Maguire is a lot closer,” he added. “He was with the squad (Thursday) morning, but he stepped out when the contact came.

“Kallum (Griffiths) was out jogging again.

“Considering three huge players have been missing for a decent spell, we are where we are without them and we can only be stronger when they come back.

“Hopefully we’re through our bad luck with injuries now.

“Through adversity, people have stepped up - Harry (Spratt) against King’s Lynn was outstanding.

“He’s a young lad who wants to defend and that’s rare nowadays. Young players who come through top clubs are often thinking about what they do on the ball, but Harry’s a bit old-school. He enjoys defending.

“Through Steve being injured, we’ve had a look at Harry, Tom and Josh King, and none of them have been on the losing side.

“We’ve learnt more about the squad with him injured.

“But he’s a leader and our captain, and having him back is huge.”

While the Minstermen have the best away record in the division, Telford have the fourth-worst home record in the division.

They have collected just seven points from six games to far this term.

The 16th-placed Bucks have conceded three goals in each of their last four home games, of which they have lost three and won the other - against Gloucester City - 4-3.

But Watson is not putting too much store in planning for a potentially unpredictable opposition.

“Stats just bounce off me a bit,” he said. “Teams play differently every game and if that’s their record, their first port of call will be to tighten up.

“They may do things a little differently, which is why it can be difficult to prepare for teams like this.

“We know their shape and what they do at set pieces, but that depends on whether their personnel’s the same.

“I’ve gone into referee’s rooms before the game with a very good plan of how to combat the opposition and they’ve made four or five changes and I’m sitting their scratching my head thinking, ‘Where does he play? I’ve never heard of him’.

“We can’t judge what they’re going to do.

“We know what we’re going to do, and that’s the main thing.

“After the last two or three games, I would expect a reaction,” he added. “Especially when the team coming is top of the table.

“I’d expect a very tough game and for them to come out of the traps at us.

“It’s very difficult to know which way they’ll go, whether we’ve had them watched or not.

“They’ve made a couple of signings so it’s difficult to know which way they’ll go.

“We’ll concentrate on our shape and approach the game as we always do. We’re pretty successful away from home.

“It’s a good old English club and a good stadium. It holds no fear for us.”

Another game being played tomorrow with possible consequences for York is the visit of second-placed Chester to third-placed King’s Lynn Town, who are currently three and four points, respectively, behind York.

“I’d be lying if I said I was calm and collected after games and I didn’t bother with other people’s results,” Watson said.

“If they can share a point each and we get the win, that gap will (get bigger).

“But as curious as I am, I can only affect what we do.”