Omar Daley is ready to make a belated start to his City season knowing he has plenty still to prove.

Having missed last week’s league opener through suspension, the Jamaican winger is desperate to make up for lost time in tonight’s Carling Cup clash at home to Nottingham Forest.

Daley was slapped with a three-game ban after lashing out at Chesterfield’s Dan Gray during a 1-1 draw in April, the setback coming after he had struggled with injury throughout much of a frustrating campaign. But with fitness and disciplinary issues now resolved, the 29-year-old is ready to make his mark.

“The suspension is over now,” he said. “It was an unfortunate situation I found myself in and I didn’t deal with it in the right way.

“Things were said to me and I just have to kick on, look forward to the Forest game and take the opportunity with both hands.

“I’ve done the crime so I have to do the time. I knew exactly what I was going to face so I’ve just been getting myself ready for the second game.

“Every day you wake up you have to prove a point. It’s a job and it’s a competitive sport so you have to prove yourself. It’s not easy when you’re pushing for a place but hopefully I can get out on the pitch and take my opportunity.”

Daley knows City too have a point to prove.

Tagged the bookmakers’ favourites for the League Two title prior to the campaign, expectation remains high at Valley Parade, but rather than a burden, Daley believes it will help keep the players on their toes.

He said: “Expectation is good in some ways. It’s good when people expect things from you because you’d definitely have a problem if people didn’t expect anything.

“I’m up for it. Every day I wake up, learn something new and look forward to a new challenge.”

Conversely, City head into tonight’s game against Forest as heavy underdogs, although Daley insists they should not be written off.

He said: “It’s a big game and any player with ambition will want to play in that game and show what they’ve got.

“You never know what will happen. We’re underdogs but if I’m playing I’m not going to accept that so you just have to go out and do your best.”