PAUL Caddis has revealed how the nerves kicked in when he first tried to win a contract at City.

It’s no coincidence that their chances of staving off the drop from League One have picked up since the experienced defender arrived on the scene in mid-November.

A calm head on and off the pitch, Caddis has added nous and game intelligence to the team – qualities that are likely to be called upon right up to the final kick against Wimbledon on May 4.

Caddis on 'dog eat dog' world of free agents

The signing of a player who was without a club for five months has proved an inspired one. His regular post-match appearances in Valley Parade’s sponsors’ lounge to pick up the man-of-the-match accolades are proof of that.

It’s hard to think of the 30-year-old being fazed by much after a career spent mainly at Championship level.

But Caddis admitted the experience of coming in on trial to impress David Hopkin did worry him.

He said: “It was difficult because it was the first time I had done it in my career.

“It felt unusual because I’m not saying you get comfortable but there’s that extra edge when you’re on trial like that.

“You feel that every pass is being scrutinised, every position you take, your body shape – you’re constantly getting looked at.

“You feel like you’re under the microscope for 24 hours and that’s something I’ve not experienced before. You need to be on it every minute.”

There was also the issue of joining the squad for training when the season was already three months in.

Having not kicked a ball competitively since May, Caddis had no time to ease himself back into the swing of things.

“If you sign as a new player at the start of the season, there might be six or seven others in the same situation,” he added.

“Coming out the dressing room it’s like that first day at school as a young kid. You get those nerves because there aren’t really any familiar faces around the place.

“Initially you have to get over that. Sometimes when you’re on trial, it doesn’t last forever so you’ve got to make an instant impact.

“There’s no pre-season. You’ve got to hit the ground running.

“Pressure probably is the right word. You’re under pressure to produce straight away.”

Fortunately for Caddis – and City, as has been demonstrated by his run of consistent performances at right back – Hopkin was quickly impressed with what he saw.

The former Birmingham and Blackburn man was keen to prove the manager’s judgement right while also making his own point to those other clubs who maybe scorned the opportunity to bring him in for a look.

He said: “The club have brought you in when nobody else has. It’s as if you owe them for that and want to repay the faith shown by the manager in giving you that chance.

“That’s the way I felt anyway.

“Personal pride is a big thing. You lose a bit of confidence being out the game – I certainly did during the time I was out and didn’t have a club.

“But I’m the kind of guy that after three or four good days of training, I slip straight back into it. Adrenaline takes you through the first few games and then you try and build on that momentum.”

Caddis was once again star man in Saturday’s draw with Plymouth, combining his part in a second clean sheet in three games with some threatening attacking forays.

Argyle keeper Kyle Letheren denied him a third City goal with one block and then thwarted his attempts for an assist with the best save of the game from Eoin Doyle’s header.

That kept the Bantams in the drop zone but Caddis remains upbeat about their survival prospects. Hopkin, he insists, has got them heading the right way.

He said: “The manager’s standards are really high. He won back-to-back promotions in Scotland, so he’s always had this winning formula.

“Training is tough on a daily basis. I think the ones who were here at the start of the season have realised that they weren’t quite as fit as they should have been.

“But I think we are there now. You saw against Shrewsbury the other week that we go right to the final whistle.

“If you give the manager 100 per cent, then he’ll do anything for you.

"Hopefully I’ve brought a calming influence on the pitch and a little bit of game knowledge. Hopefully that’s rubbing off on the other players."