Handle with care! Bradford City full back Ramsden gets extra protection (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Handle with care! Bradford City full back Ramsden gets extra protection

7:10am Saturday 3rd March 2012 in Bantams By Simon Parker, Bradford City Reporter

'He’s been thrown back in when he’s not ready many times before' says Phil Parkinson of his lucky talisman

Phil Parkinson feels City are right to treat Simon Ramsden as a special case.

The injury-hampered right back is on the sidelines again after missing the last two games with a tight hamstring.

Ramsden’s problem, which he noticed in training a week ago, is not a major concern.

But City will not take any chances with the right back, who has not played on a losing side this season. Given Ramsden’s recent history of injuries, Parkinson feels their kid-glove approach is the correct one.

The Bantams boss said: “It isn’t a serious injury for Simon but we probably do protect him more and rightly so.

“He deserves that because he’s such an important player and he’s been thrown back in when he’s not ready many times before.

“I spoke to Simon after the Torquay game and he said he’d coasted through. Physically he felt absolutely fine.

“But then he got a bit of tightness in his hamstring last Thursday. The physio thought he probably did it when playing without realising it.

“It’s nothing to worry about but we’ve just got to make sure that he’s 100 per cent right. We will do that out of respect to him.”

Ramsden’s ten appearances since returning to the ranks for the JPT tie at Sheffield United in November have earned City seven wins and three draws.

His last defeat was on the opening day of last season at Shrewsbury before injuries effectively ruled him out of action for a year.

With the hectic March schedule, Parkinson feels Rob Kozluk can provide decent back-up during Ramsden’s absence. The former Sheffield United defender has deputised against Hereford and Barnet.

He said: “Kozzy is in his 30s but he’s a very fit lad and a good professional. We know he can cope.”

It is Kozluk’s first taste of life in the fourth tier after a career spent in the top two divisions. But he has been pleasantly surprised by some of the football on display.

Kozluk said: “I came into the division with Port Vale at the start of the season and was really surprised at the standard.

“You’ve got players who have not had the luck that others have to move higher or there are others just starting out.

“The quality’s there and I think it gets a worse name than it actually should.”