DAVID Hopkin today voiced his frustration over City’s forgotten man Jake Reeves.

The midfielder continues to be held back by the effects of a lingering groin injury that has prevented him from playing for nine months.

Reeves last appeared for City at the end of January when they were beaten by his former club Wimbledon in what turned out to be Stuart McCall’s final home game.

He was originally told to rest it in the hope the problem would settle down. But when that failed to solve the pain, he went in for groin surgery in April.

Reeves returned for pre-season training but felt the pain flare up again and is still experiencing issues.

Hopkin, like predecessors Simon Grayson and Michael Collins, is yet to see him in action.

He admitted: “It’s a tough one because every time we seem to be getting somewhere with Jake, he starts to feel problems somewhere else.

“One time his adductor’s sore, then it’s his groin, then it’s his pelvic area. It’s frustrating for him as well as for us and the fans.

“These are things we need to look at over the coming weeks and see what’s best for him.”

Reeves signed for McCall in the summer of 2017 with a reputation for never missing a game. He had played every minute in Wimbledon’s promotion from League Two the previous season.

But after settling well with his new club, his performances dipped as he began to be troubled by groin issues and he was restricted to 27 appearances.

Hopkin is urging Reeves to see if he can push himself through the pain barrier.

“He’s obviously been out a long time and the longer you're out, it becomes that wee bit more difficult,” added the head coach.

“When you do start training when you haven’t for so long, you are going to feel aches and pains.

“Everybody knows that in football whatever injury you’ve had. You will feel twinges until you are 100 per cent.

“But sometimes you have to push yourself, test yourself and play. Maybe play through a wee bit of pain.

“I’m not saying he’s not but I think you have to test it and see how far you can go before you feel you’re going to break down again.

“We’ve never got to that stage with him because he’s always felt twinges.

“The medical staff and Jake are working really hard for him to get back.

“But every time he tries something, something else seems to flare up or gives him a niggle.

“It’s difficult because when you’ve been out that long, sometimes you’re afraid to push it in case you set yourself back again.”

With Adam Chicksen back in training and Jim O’Brien expected to return next week, Hopkin is hoping that City's luck with injuries will finally start to turn a corner giving him a few options to pick from.

“Hopefully we can freshen the team up which I’ve never been able to do since I’ve been here,” he said.

“We’ve picked up some freak injuries. The Sunderland game was probably the strongest squad we’ve had and that’s no disrespect to those who are playing.

“You get a few injuries and suspensions and you go from one step forward to two back again.

“These are things we need to deal with just now. But hopefully over the coming weeks we’ll start to get some more players back.”