GARY Bowyer insists Jack Payne is very much part of City’s survival plans.

The midfielder was surprisingly left out for the 1-0 defeat at Charlton.

Payne was with the squad but did not even make the bench as the Bantams suffered a fourth straight loss.

But Bowyer stressed that Payne’s absence was simply down to the limit on loan players – and he will come back into his thinking for this weekend’s home clash with Doncaster.

The Bantams boss wanted to include centre half Paudie O’Connor for only his second start since joining from Leeds in the January transfer window.

He said: “You saw the goals that went in last week and I thought we needed to make a change at the back.

“Paudie has been unfortunate because we’ve had six loans and has missed games.

“We thought we needed to get him in and felt we had to add George (Miller) on the bench.

“Because of that, unfortunately the one to miss out was Jack Payne.

“It’s not an ideal situation when you’ve got that many loans and someone has to miss out because of that, not because of how they were performing.

“That was the case with Jack, I’m afraid. But we’ve also had it with Paudie and George.

“There’s nothing more than that. We’re not blessed with massive numbers in terms of quality so he’ll come back into the reckoning for Saturday.

“It’s just disappointing that’s the rule.”

Former skipper Josh Wright was booed again when he came on as a second-half sub. Jermaine Anderson was also targeted.

Bowyer added: “It’s obviously something that’s gone off before I arrived.

“That’s probably the first time I’ve seen it. There was a little bit last week but obviously it was noticeable this time.

“If you’re saying it’s a small minority, that’s what it is.

“But everybody is entitled to their opinions. We all know that.

“Supporters pay their money and we’ve just got to crack on.”

More than 700 City fans were at The Valley and Bowyer felt City’s improved display showed a response after the home horror show against Blackpool.

“It’s been put on the players’ toes all week. I said about giving the supporters something to show that they have some pride.

“I thought the supporters were magnificent. To have that many numbers was wonderful.

“I’m really pleased with the turn-out and the unbelievable way they welcomed me before the game.

“They went away obviously disappointed with the result but hopefully could see the work that had gone in during the week.”

Wimbledon’s win at Scunthorpe has left City bottom by six points – but that is still the gap to safety going into their final six games.

Bowyer maintains the battle will go the distance and won’t rule the Bantams out.

“We’ve got to try and build on what we’ve done well and improve in certain areas, especially in the last third, to try and get that win.

“Once we get that, the belief will go sky high. We’ve got to keep trying to do that.”