CITY’S door remains open for Matty Foulds as he kicks off life with his new club Harrogate.

Foulds is set to make his debut for the Sulphurites at home to Sutton this afternoon.

But Mark Hughes insists the loan spell in north Yorkshire does not signal the end of the Clayton-born defender’s time at his hometown club.

Foulds was keen to make the short-term move after Hughes brought in Tolaji Bola from Rotherham.

“Matty’s our player, he’s coming back in the summer,” said the City boss. "It's not as if we won't see him again.

“He wanted to take up the opportunity and I was able to make it happen for him because of Tolaji coming in.

“It coincided with Liam (Ridehalgh) back fit as well. If there had been similar circumstances say three weeks before then it wouldn’t have happened.

“Sometimes the timing of it allows you to do that.”

Foulds had been a regular since Ridehalgh’s injury with 21 appearances, recently passing 50 for City, before Bola played his first game against Stockport.

Hughes added: “Matty has gone out to get games. He’s had a good season.

“He’s never played a full season of league football so this is his opportunity to do that. It’s important for his development as well.

“I think that was something that was in the back of his mind and he wanted to achieve this year.”

Harrogate boss Simon Weaver said: “He is a really sound left back and is already showing his quality in training.”

Ridehalgh’s last City appearance was on September 3 against Walsall. He had played in nine of the first 10 games.

But he has been dogged by persistent issues with his groin and calf which have continued to hold him back.

Ridehalgh, though, is now training fully again and Hughes believes he is close to pushing into the squad.

“Liam is looking really strong. He’s obviously been really frustrated.

“He was playing in the team at the beginning of the season and then had a real struggle with the injuries that he’s had. He just couldn’t get over the line.

“He’d get up to the point where we think he was within one or two days of getting back and then he’d have a setback.

“It’s happened two or three times. But touch wood it looks like he’s okay at the moment and in a good place.

“Liam hasn’t had a lot of training with the group as yet. Tolaji is probably a little bit ahead in terms of fitness and game time.

“They will both push each other which is what you want.”