JOE Riley could be on course to play again before the end of the season.

The former Manchester United defender has been out of City’s plans since the summer with a serious knee injury.

But Riley is getting closer to being able to take part with the squad once more.

“He’s been making really good progress,” said Bantams number two Kenny Black. “Chris (Royston) and the medical team have been very pleased with him.

“Joe’s coming along great and he’s hopeful it’s only a matter of weeks. It will be good to get him back.”

Riley had featured in pre-season under Gary Bowyer after being frozen out of the picture during David Hopkin’s spell in charge.

But he suffered injury agony just a week before the opening game, tearing the cruciate ligament in his knee from a slip during a small-sided training match.

The last six months have been spent on the long road back for a player who is out of contract at the end of the season. But Riley has his sights on a competitive return before then.

Black added: “Joe will certainly hope for that. We’ll be guided by the medical team but it will be nice to see him back kicking a ball.

“He’s probably had a number of months being very frustrated. Then he sees this light at the end of the tunnel now.

“He’s ahead of schedule as far as I’m led to believe so hopefully things keep progressing the right way. Then we can see him sooner rather than later.”

Black and Stuart McCall are well aware of the players in their squad who have not been involved so far.

The horrendous weather that put paid to Tuesday’s behind-closed-doors game against Huddersfield added to the frustration for those on the fringes still waiting for a chance.

Black admitted: “We passed the information on about it being cancelled and you could see the reaction from them. These lads are desperate to get 90 minutes and we’re desperate to see them.

“But you have to be mindful of the weather conditions that the whole of Britain is experiencing.

“We’re trying to organise a game for next week and we’ve got one sorted for the following week. Fingers crossed, everything will be okay.

“You’ve got to try and get around each and every player as a coaching staff and we try to make them all feel very important.

“The rules never change, you can only start 11 players with a certain amount of substitutes.

“The big problem is the ones we have surplus to that. Sometimes there have been two or three players who have been unfortunate to miss out altogether.

“They get frustrated, which is understandable, and you really try to keep them onside.”