Colin Todd has decided not to do a deal with Mark Wilson.

The 27-year-old former Middlesbrough man has been training with City for a fortnight and played in the reserves at Darlington on Tuesday.

But Todd feels the midfielder has lost his edge after a spell out of the English game and had not done enough while on trial to earn him a longer chance with the club.

"We would be looking for someone with real drive and appetite to add to the squad and I don't think he has got that," said Todd.

"Although he can play anywhere across the midfield, there is no point in bringing just anyone in. I'd need more than what he could offer.

"When you go out on loan to a lot of clubs, as he has done at Middlesbrough, that tells you plenty. Then he went off to play in America and you question whether he still has that desire."

Todd has to be careful with anyone he brings in, due to the constant financial constraints, but his resources are stretched once again tomorrow with David Graham and Ben Parker injured and Joe Brown starting a three-game suspension.

At least Eddie Johnson has recovered from his bruised instep as City look to put the bandwagon back on the road after a miserable few weeks.

The players came in for heavy flak after last week's 4-1 thumping at Blackpool and Todd expects to see a powerful response against Brighton.

The Bantams boss said: "We just have to be careful that the good work we put in earlier in the season doesn't evaporate. It's down to ourselves to sort that out and nobody else.

"I expected a lot more from us at Blackpool but it was just one bad game. I hope it's going to be a one-off.

"We don't talk about panic or crisis at this club but it's a culture now when teams lose a few games which is not good for football.

"We know what's at stake now and we have to be strong enough mentally to get back to the level of performances we know we can do. If we can't, then we know there is a problem.

"But look at West Ham, who lost eight on the bounce. That was something to be really concerned about but they managed to pick themselves up and win again.

"We had a bad October and we have to respond. Good players don't become indifferent ones over a period of one or two games. The players know they are better than that but over this recent period consistency has gone out the window.

"You might get away with one or two being below par occasionally but collectively, when the performance level drops, then you cannot expect to get anything.

"But our destiny is in our own hands and the good thing is that if we win again tomorrow, we're right back up there."

THE OPPOSITION

Five weeks ago, tomorrow's game would have looked a home banker: City were flying high, Brighton dropping like a stone. How things have changed.

While the Bantams have gone off the boil, Dean Wilkins' Seagulls have won four of their last five outings - including a highly-impressive 3-0 romp at the Galpharm last week.

"We weren't really under pressure at all throughout the 90 minutes," said winger Dean Cox, underlining the confidence surging through the side.

A lot of the turn-around can be put down to a reshaped back four, which has stopped the flow of goals Brighton had been conceding. After letting in 13 in five back-to-back defeats, Wilkins carried out a defensive overhaul and the improvement has been obvious.

Right back Andrew Whing came in on loan from Coventry - his month expires after the City game - while 36-year-old Guy Butters and Adam Hinshelwood have added steel in the middle.

Long-serving left back Kerry Mayo is the only survivor from the last time the sides met in February 2003, when Brighton won 1-0 at Valley Parade.

Keeper Wayne Henderson has noticed the difference and said: "It's been a pleasure to play behind them. I've not had much to do in the last few games."

Home-grown product Jake Robinson's hat-trick killed off Huddersfield and he is Brighton's top scorer with seven goals. Alex Revell and Cox both have five.

But Wilkins has added to their firepower by borrowing Dean Bowditch from Ipswich for a month. The former England under-19 striker made his debut from the bench in Wednesday's 4-1 win over MK Dons in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

There will be no Valley Parade return for one-time City midfielder Paul Reid. The Australian, who memorably scored twice from long range on his debut against Norwich four years ago, injured his cruciate against Carlisle and is out for the season.