THE League Two landscape remains blurred and eery for Stuart McCall.

Recruitment plans cannot be put into action without some genuine signpost with directions for when next season is likely to kick off.

Operation Restart for the Bantams, like most teams in the bottom two divisions, is stuck on the drawing board until a date has been set.

City currently have 14 players contracted for when they are clear to kick a ball again – a lop-sided selection of centre halves, left backs and centre forwards.

Here’s our first look at the current hand that McCall has been dealt - with a case for his defence.

The Bantams boss is hoping to retain Richard O’Donnell when he is in position to put a deal on the table.

For now, SAM HORNBY is the only senior keeper on the books and has yet to make his mark in City colours.

Arriving from Port Vale with a good reputation last summer, Hornby’s intentions of challenging for a regular spot never materialised.

He made just two cup outings against Preston and Bolton as O’Donnell nailed down the position and spent the bulk of the campaign on loan with AFC Fylde.

BEN RICHARDS-EVERTON looked to tick every box when he became Gary Bowyer’s first City capture.

A big, strong centre half with League Two experience was just what was needed to beef up a flaky back four and early performances warranted that confidence.

But Richards-Everton displayed a tendency to rush in at times and his headstrong moments often came at a price. After a solid first half of the season, his performances tailed off as the defence creaked alarmingly into the new year.

ANTHONY O’CONNOR was one of the few who could look back on 2019-2020 with some satisfaction, restoring a reputation that had taken a hammering during relegation from League One.

He won back an initially hostile Valley Parade faithful with a generally consistent campaign where he was frequently the pick of the backline.

Namesake PAUDIE O’CONNOR had been expected to make his mark with his aggressive, front-foot approach after his initial loan spell from Leeds was turned into a permanent deal.

But he often found himself the odd one out in the middle of the back four. His best run of form was over Christmas when Bowyer opted to play three centre halves and City conceded just once in seven games.

TYLER FRENCH has been viewed as one for the future after he was plucked from non-league obscurity at AFC Sudbury.

Like Hornby, his first-team opportunities would be few and far between and he would be loaned to Fylde to gain more playing experience.

He scored a first goal in professional football against Rochdale in the Leasing.com Trophy and, while he is still very raw, French will have learned plenty both physically and mentally from the challenge of going full-time.

JACKSON LONGRIDGE was a man in demand when City won the race for his signature. A number of League Two clubs were trailing the Dunfermline left back, including Michael Flynn’s Newport.

But having seen off the competition, Bantams fans saw little of the Scot in action.

There were suggestions of home sickness as he failed to break into Bowyer’s thinking. Ten minutes off the bench against Cambridge on opening day proved his only league involvement and he was shipped off to Torquay in the National League South to find some game-time.

REECE STAUNTON is a young player who excites McCall and could well feature in the manager’s thinking for the “new normal” campaign.

McCall gave Staunton his slice of history as the club’s youngest player aged just 15 during his previous spell in charge and the youngster has continued to progress after loan stints with Bradford (Park Avenue) and Ossett.

As a centre half and left back, the teenager joins an already well-stocked field but he can also play in a holding midfield role with his passing range.

Staunton’s emergence would also give McCall the option of pushing CONNOR WOOD further up into left midfield.

Wood was comfortably the best of a bad lot in City’s disappointing season with several positive performances from full back.

He willingly got up and down and his end product was the best of any player in the team. The stats didn’t lie as his crossing percentage in mid-November was up there with anyone in all four divisions.

He is certainly one that McCall will be relieved to see in the dressing room whenever the squad can reconvene.