RORY McArdle spent last Saturday afternoon sitting on the bench at Fratton Park.

He was in good company.

Striker Ivan Toney similarly never did anything more strenuous than a warm-up jog along the touchline despite rejoining Scunthorpe for a second loan spell from Newcastle just days before.

And Lee Novak, another well-established League One frontman, only saw the final six minutes of action in their 1-1 draw with Portsmouth.

McArdle’s former Valley Parade team-mate Jordy Hiwula was another who spent the weekend on a strictly watching brief.

He was not called upon by Fleetwood boss Uwe Rosler in their 2-1 win at Southend.

Rosler did have new signing Paddy Madden, who went on to score on his debut, and Everton’s Conor McAleny to throw on in the second half.

If required, Hiwula would have given him the option to replace all three starting front men.

Like for like changes. No sign of a centre half being thrust into emergency centre forward action.

Bench envy is hardly a new phenomenon.

Phil Parkinson will always tell you that the true judge of the strength of any team lies in the quality of substitutes available on the sidelines.

That sentiment will be echoed by Stuart McCall and every Bradford City fan right now.

You don’t need Sky Sports News and that infernal deadline clock in the corner of the screen to be aware that time is ticking away in this transfer window.

Time which many feel could make or break the rest of the season.

There are always clubs who sit nicely poised going into the new year – only to drop away into mid-table obscurity come the business end of things.

The growing fear among supporters is that this season’s fall guys could well be City.

We’ve been spoiled in recent times by the consistency of the team’s results and league positions. Different seasons, different teams but invariably you haven’t seen the join as one seamless campaign moves into another.

That is testament to very good management and coaching, solid recruitment and players stepping up to the plate.

But there is only so many times you can go to the well. The current casualty list has exposed a lack of strength in depth.

The number of absentees would affect any club and City are getting hit hard right now. That’s why the need for extra bodies in the building is so urgent.

As far as fans are concerned, the silence from Valley Parade is deafening.

Ask the club and they will tell you “enquiries galore” have been made during the window.

Some were knocked back for bigger wallets elsewhere, as in the case of Kieffer Moore’s move to Barnsley.

Others, like the bid for Ryan Taylor, have been turned down because his club Plymouth do not want to sell.

Then there is the pursuit of Blackpool defender Kelvin Mellor and the in-house machinations at that club which make any dealings a potential minefield.

But near-misses will not placate supporters. Near-misses do not help to reinforce a team whose options have been stretched to the limit.

Fans see other teams diving into the market place and wonder why City cannot do the same.

McCall must feel equally helpless. With no direct involvement in the negotiations, the Bantams boss can only wait and hope for good news to filter down from above.

He witnessed painfully at first hand the boost that the last two opponents, Yeovil and Northampton, received from an influx of fresh talent this month.

The fear is that in the sellers’ market that is the January window, other clubs can sniff City’s desperation to get something done.

“It’s never easy bringing in players at this time of the year,” admitted McCall.

“But if we want to try to get where we’re after, I think it’s plain for everyone to see we need to strengthen.

“All the competitors are doing that and we have to do the same. It’s a simple fact.

“We said all along that there would be ten or 12 clubs with real ambition for this season.

“You never know in football, depending on who other teams bring in. But we could do with that lift of a couple of fresh faces.”