City returning to the Championship is a case of “when” not “if”, according to John Hendrie.

The former Valley Parade winger believes another promotion back to the second tier, which they left in 2004, is definitely on the cards.

Hendrie said: “I wouldn’t be stupid enough to pile the pressure on and say it will be this year. But it is going to happen.

“There’s no ‘if’ about it but ‘when’ City make the next step up. They are comfortably good enough to finish top ten this season and if you ask me about getting in the play-offs, I think they can.

“But it does depend on the injury situation to key players. Luck is massive in football and you’ve seen they have already lost Andrew Davies for another chunk of games.”

Phil Parkinson’s side are chasing a first win in five games at Crewe on Saturday after a sticky spell that has seen them collect only one point from 12. But they still sit in the final play-off place.

Hendrie added: “If you’d said to Phil that City would be sixth in the league after 14 games, he’d have snatched your hand off.

“They’ve hit a little bit of a blip but there have been circumstances against them with Davies and Nahki Wells being out. But that one point from 12 could still easily have been seven or eight. There have been nothing in those games.

“In the ones they’ve lost, the other team have had to earn the results against them. City have not laid down to anyone.

“Little things win or lose you matches. Whereas they were maybe getting those breaks at the start of the season, the last few weeks have gone against them.

“Luck plays a massive part in football but it is crucial how you react.

“Performances have been good even if the results aren’t there at the moment. The spirit of the club is still shining through.”