City are not spooked by the nightmarish prospect of dropping out of the Football League.

Defeat at high-flying Southend tonight would leave everyone sweating over the rest of the weekend results.

Wins for Plymouth and Dagenham tomorrow would see the Bantams hit Christmas on the same points tally as the bottom two.

It is a scary scenario but, according to Robbie Threlfall, one that is not haunting Phil Parkinson’s squad.

The left back hopes to be back in first-team contention next week after two months out with a torn thigh muscle.

And despite the uncertainty of their current position, he insists the squad are not looking over their shoulders.

“Nobody is thinking about relegation,” he stressed.

“Obviously you’re wary of where we are in the table but I wouldn’t say it was a concern.

“When you’re going out there trying to play, we’re not thinking about our position. We know what we have to do to get results.

“Maybe we can’t play so much nice football round the back and through the middle. We’re going to have to win ugly in some games.

“But that can work well, especially away from home. I watched the DVD of the Gillingham game when we played that way and we got into some dangerous areas.”

Threlfall’s setback at the Moss Rose ended his longest spell in City’s starting line-up, playing 26 games in a row before the run abruptly ended at the same ground where it had begun six months before.

The trigger point of the injury was something and nothing. Threlfall felt a ping as he cleared a ball under no pressure.

“I think it was ready to go and whatever I’d done would have set it off. I knew it was serious as soon as it happened.

“It did my head a little because I’d been playing every game and was enjoying being in the team.

“But I’ve got over that now and I’m just focused on getting back and regaining my place in the side.”

Threlfall might have been back sooner had an initial scan showed up the problem. Instead he trained on, believing everything was clear, until a second check revealed a grade-two tear which needed handling with care.

Having won his duel with Luke O’Brien for the starting slot, Threlfall now finds Marcel Seip blocking his way.

The Dutchman, usually a centre half, admits he is no natural to the role but has kept it since the clean sheet against Gillingham.

Threlfall added: “I think Marcel has played there before. He’s a solid defender anyway and has done the job well. It’s good to have that competition for places. Three of us can play there at the minute.

“It’s not easy when you’ve had so many players – I think we’ve used 32 this season – but I think we’ll get there as we go on.

“The side has changed quite a lot but everyone is starting to get to know each other’s game. Once we get a good run going, hopefully it will pretty much stay the same and that will help.

“Christmas is an important time for the club. You can soon notice the difference if you can string a few points together and get a bit of momentum.”