STEVE WATSON has said there is still a chance of Harry Bunn working with York City.

Bunn, one of the Minstermen’s star performers last season, was one of 13 players not to be offered a new deal with the club last month.

But City boss Watson revived a flicker of hope of seeing Bunn back in a York shirt on Tuesday evening when answering fans’ questions live on BBC Radio York Sport.

At his best last season, Bunn was a tenacious force linking midfield and attack with the ability to hold the ball up and drive forward, which some York games were crying out for.

The decision to let him leave York seems to have rested on balancing his wages - some of the highest in last season’s squad, Watson revealed - with his propensity towards injury.

Watson has extended an invitation to him to return, however, along with the injury-plagued Owen Gamble and youngster Reon Potts.

“We’ve had 20 weeks’ training now. Harry was very unlucky and ended up having about four different muscle injuries,” Watson explained on air. “When it comes to offering a contract, you have to be as sure as you can be.

“He’s a great guy and a very, very good player. He’s one of those players who can play as an orthodox midfielder, on the left, in the hole, and he’s strong enough to play as a striker with his back to goal.

“But we both agreed we couldn’t offer him anything like he needed.

“He pulled a thigh muscle just before the season was cancelled. If the season had gone on, I doubt he would have played for a couple of months.

“Owen Gamble’s another, a very good footballer but he had terrible luck last year. He pulled his hamstring in the Ashton (United, FA Trophy) game.

“He came back about three times and redid it.

“They’re two players, along with Reon Potts, who we’ve invited back. They as footballers will want to try and get sorted as early as they can but they’ve certainly got that offer.

“I hope they all take it up, certainly Harry, because I’d like to think that if he can get through a full pre-season, or at least four weeks of pre-season, and feel he’s got over that little ledge where he’s kept compensating for different injuries, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of working with him again.

“He wants to work with us and I certainly want to work with him. I’m sure there’s a lot of you guys out there who think there’s a great footballer there.

“But we have to try and be as prudent as possible because I can’t take any chances with what I’ve got at the moment.”

Negotiations are ongoing with Michael Woods but this should be no cause for concern, Watson assured listeners, as the midfielder’s contract does not run out until the end of this month.

“The hope is that he’ll just roll it over at the end of June,” he said. “I fully expect him to sign on the dotted line.

“I’d be very disappointed if we didn’t get Woodsy over the line sooner rather than later.”