Steve Schumacher will find out by the end of the week if he is likely to don a claret and amber shirt again.

The midfielder is one of the four players stuck in the pending' file at the Intersonic Stadium because of the uncertainty regarding the new manager.

At the moment, Schumacher's future is in limbo - but that hardly comes as uncharted territory for a player who has been living with that prospect for several months.

Because of the Liverpudlian's age, his case is different to the other three waiting to find out if they are part of City's plans for next term.

Not turning 24 for another 11 months, City would be entitled to compensation for Schumacher should another club come in for his services.

That's as long as they make him a contract offer which is as good as the one that is about to expire.

The ball is in City's court but they have to get a move on. The third Saturday in May is the traditional deadline for clubs to register their retained list with the Football League and Football Association.

Only those sides still involved in the play-offs can hang on until they have played their final game. Nottingham Forest do not have to reveal yet whether they are releasing City target Spencer Weir-Daley, although it is understood he will not be offered a new deal.

Of course, letting someone go does not mean that clubs cannot try to resign them at a later date.

A team may decide on saving a player's wages through the two off-season months and then gamble on nobody else coming in before snapping them back up on August 1. It is not a regular practice but hardly unheard of, particularly lower down the ladder.

But City would lose the chance of any cash back should they think of doing that with Schumacher.

The fans are split over whether the club should try to keep a player who was one of Colin Todd's first signings three years ago. Schumacher has been a pretty regular fixture in midfield since and only Donovan Ricketts and Mark Bower made more than his 49 appearances last season.

But it was a campaign of mixed fortunes as much for the player as the team.

Only Dean Windass, inevitably, scored more than his six goals but the tigerish midfielder also fell out with a section of the away support against Chesterfield, when he allowed the frustration of relegation to boil over and swore back at his detractors.

Schumacher himself is philosophical about his situation and said: "I'm not panicking about it. Nothing has changed since a couple of months ago and it's still in Bradford's hands.

"I haven't really got any feelings about it because it's Bradford's decision. It's up to them if they want to keep me.

"But they've got to understand that if they don't make me an offer and someone else comes in then I will be able to go for nothing. They won't be able to take it to a tribunal.

"I've been through this before when I left Everton. It's a similar position now and I know I'll get sorted out one way or another.

"I would be honoured if Bradford give me a new deal but it won't be the end of the world if that doesn't happen.

"I like to think people have seen I've done a good enough job and my agent keeps telling me there might be something in the pipeline.

"But nothing happens in the first couple of weeks after the season anyway. Other managers and other clubs are still having a look about to see who they want."

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