Stephen Caldwell's loan spell with Bradford City came to the soggiest of endings.

The Scottish centre-half was today due to head back to Newcastle after his second month's stay at Valley Parade finished with a damp squib - yesterday's late postponement against Birmingham.

Caldwell, who played nine games under two managers in his two spells for the Bantams, will not be kept on by Nicky Law who can now renew his search for one, possibly two, loan defenders.

The City boss is determined to make some headway before Saturday lunchtime's trip to promotion-chasing Wolves.

He said: "We've now got six days until the Wolves game which will be very difficult. I watched them in the week, they are a powerful, strong side who are proving that in the league this season.

"We really need a defender now with Gunnar Halle out and obviously we're also short in the central defender department. On the plus side, Lee Sharpe would have been struggling but this gives him another week to get fit for Wolves."

Caldwell, like the rest of the players, never left the sanctuary of the dressing room yesterday afternoon as the City pitch rapidly turned into a lake.

Watched by a gaggle of stewards waiting for the nod to go home, rival managers Law and Steve Bruce attempted a brief kick-about under the close eye of match official George Cain and some nervous ITV officials.

A couple of side-footed passes that were swallowed up by the fast-expanding puddles reinforced what everyone knew and the announcement came through 90 minutes before kick-off that no game would follow.

There was also no pre-match presentation for Jamie Lawrence who was hoping to receive his Jamaican player of the year trophy.

A monsoon in Manningham was hardly the right stage to acknowledge his World Cup capers in the Caribbean!

Law said: "It's very disappointing. On the back of the positive performance we had last week at Grimsby I wanted to get the game on and get the valuable points we need.

"But looking at the pitch I think everyone will agree it would have been a lottery and you've got to look at the possible danger to the players as well.

"It means we now go into a run of three away games in the space of seven days, but so far I think our better performances have been away from home. With Wolves, Burnley and then Gillingham coming up, who knows we might get a fair share of the points."

The biggest disappointment for City, who had hoped to swell the gate by letting in kids free, was the loss of the £60,000 pay-out for home teams from ITV Digital. No game, no pay and with the Champions' League coming out of its winter hibernation, it is extremely unlikely the rescheduled date with Birmingham will be included on a TV slot.