ADAM Thompson has no grumbles over his lack of game-time at Valley Parade.

The on-loan defender has played less than half an hour in two appearances off the bench since joining from Bury just before the end of the August transfer window.

He is currently away on international duty with Northern Ireland and will miss the MK Dons clash and cannot feature next weekend either when the Bantams face his parent club at Gigg Lane.

Thompson has been unable to budge the impressive central-defensive pairing of Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Matt Kilgallon.

But Stuart McCall is full of praise for the way the 25-year-old has accepted his current supporting role.

McCall said: “I spoke to Thommo after the Doncaster game before he went away and he totally gets it.

“In fairness to him, he was saying that if he’d been either of the two centre halves in the team right now and he’d been left out, he’d have been knocking on my door and asking why.

“He does train really well and I’ve no doubt that after training he will either ask the coach to do some extra or he will go and work in the gym because that’s the type of person he is. He is conscientious.

“He knows he wasn’t brought here just to fill numbers.

“Credit to the two who are playing at the minute that he’s not had a sniff. But football can change very quickly.

“His attitude has been absolutely top drawer whether it’s in the dressing room before or after games or on the bench. He’s really behind it.

“Obviously he will be slightly frustrated although you don’t see that.”

Thompson’s arrival, after falling out of favour at Bury, ended a summer-long search for a right-footed central defender for McCall.

His involvement has been restricted to late sub outings against Rotherham and Northampton to help shore up victories.

But McCall has cited the example of Rory McArdle from last season. He hardly featured in the first half of the campaign after recovering from a shoulder operation and went on to be a mainstay in the push to the play-off final.

McCall added: “I told Thommo about Rory last year and the fact he didn’t get a sniff because of his injury.

“Romain (Vincelot) kept his place at the back until maybe Christmas before Rory came in.

“The two lads who’ve got the jersey right now are doing really well and Thommo’s got no problem with that.

“He was really positive about being here and enjoying himself here.

“I can’t speak highly enough of his attitude for someone who has not been involved as much as he would have hoped.

“He’s a good squad member backing everyone up and working hard to be ready to take his opportunity when it comes.”

City go into this afternoon’s tricky trip to Stadium MK on the back of three clean sheets in the last four games.

While the team have not been at their best, McCall is happy with the way they are keeping it tight and closing down opponents.

“We’re doing the ugly side and dirty side of the game well,” he said. “Three clean sheets out of four would show that.

“For all the play and pressure that other teams might be having, we’re not getting cut open. There aren’t lots of individual chances against us.

“We probably went a little bit long too much against Doncaster. We didn’t play as much as I would have liked, but on the flipside the harrying, chasing, blocking and staying with runners limited them to very little.”