Lee Hendrie believes his return to Yorkshire with City can rebuild his confidence that was shattered at Sheffield United.

The former England international goes straight into Peter Taylor’s squad for this afternoon’s clash with Gillingham after signing a short-term deal.

After a career which included more than a decade at Aston Villa, it will be Hendrie’s first taste of football at the bottom level.

But he is just grateful that Taylor has given him the chance to forget the frustrations that began at Bramall Lane when Kevin Blackwell succeeded former City boss Bryan Robson.

Hendrie said: “Blackwell just shut me out completely. I was even having his staff asking me why I wasn’t playing because they couldn’t understand it.

“He was using me as an example of the attitude he wanted from his players and saying I’d be a big part of his plans. But then he’d take me places and not even put me on the bench.

“I’d be travelling down to QPR and not even get a shirt. He just destroyed me.

“It got to the stage where I thought I’d become a bad player overnight. I’d played in the Premiership for so long but suddenly my confidence took a big dent.

“Then I went to Derby and it was the same again. You get that knockback and things don’t work out.

“I haven’t had a manager putting an arm around me and saying ‘come and enjoy your football’. But then I came here and the gaffer’s said exactly that.”

Hendrie played for Taylor in the England Under-21 set-up before winning his only senior cap as a substitute against the Czech Republic in 1998.

After trials recently at Reading and Aberdeen, he needed little persuasion to link up again with a manager he rates as one of his best, even if it meant dropping into League Two.

The 33-year-old added: “He’s passionate about his football as well as being a genuine bloke – and I haven’t come across many managers like that.

“I’ve been up and down and dragged through low patches by certain managers but he’s given me the confidence to enjoy my football again and just go out and play.

“I’m not coming here for the money. I just want to put a message out to people that I’m still here. “I’ve been desperate to get back involved. I want to play for as long as I can.

“I know there are hundreds of players who haven’t got clubs. I’ve got this chance and I want to grasp it.

“I’ve played so many games, a lot at the top level, and it’s tough when you’re being asked to go on trial. But the gaffer said he knew what I was about and has just told me to do what I can do.

“The next few weeks are going to be interesting. I’m going to really knuckle down and try to get myself back to my peak.”