United boss Ray Price laid his cards on the table this week by admitting his selections between now and the end of the season will be restricted by a forthcoming glut of suspensions.

He also scotched rumours about the disappearance from the squad in recent weeks of long-serving keeper Craig Bates, who is only in his mid-twenties.

Stories had been doing the rounds that Bates had hung up his gloves for the final time.

"Bates is a class act and had the perfect grounding with his years at Bradford City when he played for the youth and reserve teams. But he wants to wind his career down," said Price.

"He has not retired and he may do next season. I said we wanted to have a look at Paul Morris and Bates said 'Don't put me in the reserves because we have a young keeper under Paul who deserves a chance' so we moved him up from the Academy.

"Bates is a big mate of the Bantams' Mark Bower and he wanted the chance to go and watch City. Being a Bradford lad he has always been a fan. But he made it clear that if we needed him he would be available.

"It isn't keepers that we are short of at the moment. From here on in it will be a different face every week in other positions. Jamie Buchan is out this week, Scott Price, Andy Philp, Ben Hardy and others are going to follow, all because of suspensions. But when one door shuts another opens in this game."