ONE of the worst injury lists he has experienced is how City manager Gary Bowyer has assessed the situation at his club this season.

Despite a seemingly ever-populated physio's room, the former Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers manager has still managed to guide his current side to second in the Sky Bet League Two table.

But this surge into the top three has not been without its casualties, with the Bantams already competing in the league, Carabao Cup, Leasing.com Trophy and now the FA Cup at Shrewsbury Town tomorrow.

They have lost strikers Clayton Donaldson and Shay McCartan. The former Bolton Wanderers and Birmingham City hitman was ruled out for two months with a foot injury he sustained in October's win over Morecambe, while McCartan suffered a training ground injury and is expected to miss his side's trip to Shropshire.

READ MORE: McCartan to play part for Bantams

Midfielder Matty Palmer was injured against Scunthorpe in September after his studs caught in the pitch as he went to turn and is still on the sidelines.

Joe Riley will miss the season through a serious knee injury, while Jackson Longridge (hamstring) is out and Jamie Devitt was ruled out for up to four months after sustaining a torn hamstring tendon injury in September.

But Jordan Gibson, who has been missing with a niggling calf problem since September, is edging closer to a first-team return.

However, the injury list was eased somewhat before last weekend's win over Exeter City with Harry Pritchard and Dylan Connolly both returning from spells on the sidelines.

City have used 26 different players in their first 16 League Two games, with goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell their only ever-present.

Bowyer said: "We have been disrupted by injuries. It is one of the worst injury situations that I've been involved in as either a player or a manager. We will try to get a few back.

"We will just have to see how everybody is for this weekend."

With the club not back in league action until they travel to Plymouth Argyle on November 23, after their clash at Colchester United seven days earlier has been postponed due to the Essex side's three international call-ups, City will have further time for their injured players to heal.

As the FA Cup takes prominence this weekend, Bowyer also took time to reflect on their season so far and the challenges that lie ahead over the next few months.

He added: "I don't look at it as a hindrance to have a cup run at this particular stage. It gives us the opportunity to possibly create memories.

"It's a case of keep working hard and not get carried away with ourselves. Nobody is going to give us anything. Keep getting better, that's what I've been drumming into them from day one. We will take it game by game.

"We brought a hell of a lot of players in in the summer. We have got to get them settled in."