Stuart McCall will sit down with his two chairmen this week to fashion a plan of action for next month's transfer window.

January promises to be hectic for the Bantams boss. Just how busy could depend on the results between now and New Year's Day.

McCall must give a verdict on Saturday's goalscorer Kyle Nix and Alex Rhodes, whose short-term contracts will be up for renewal.

There are also decisions on the four loan players, including Paul Heckingbottom and Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu, who signed on until next month.

The City boss has made it clear that he will improve a squad that has failed to live up to its billing and he has a lengthy list of targets.

Mark Lawn has suggested that money could be there if his manager really wants to splash out on the right target.

But should McCall flash the cash now with City's current lowly position or hold on until the summer when the market will be calmer?

The extent of McCall's shopping could hinge on the league table, which might look a lot different five games from now when the window opens.

"That's the balancing act we've got to look at,"

admitted McCall. "Do you go and spend x amount on transfer fees when you can probably get the same players for nothing at the end of the season?

"But you say that and people think you've written things off already, which is definitely not the case.

"Look at clubs like Derby who are talking about not going out and spending because they are saving it to build again for next year. You can wait and save the funds like that.

"But then there's the chance of us getting higher up the league by bringing in that quality now. We'll sit down and discuss what options are there but it does depend on where you are.

"We all know that there are certain areas of the team that need to be strengthened but it's how you go about that and if the finances are going to be there.

"In my ideal world I want to start putting some roots down and get people who might be here for two or three years.

"You can't keep reshuffling year in, year out, although that's what's happening at a lot of clubs where you see new faces each season.

"But if I could, I'd like us to bring in people who are out of contract in the summer. In effect, we could have a look at them between now and May and then make a decision.

"I know it doesn't always work out like that and you use what you can. If people come in for a month or two and help your club, then that's fine."

McCall is no novice at window-shopping after learning the tricks of the trade from wheeler-dealer Neil Warnock at Bramall Lane. He also recalls Geoffrey Richmond's methods of drumming up some cash on deadline day a decade ago by letting Peter Beagrie out on loan and flogging Eddie Youds.

He added: "Geoffrey had the foresight to get that money in and then in the summer go out and spend it on players. We know there's a lot of work to be done but it's the balancing act of getting those decisions right.

"There will be an upheaval again in the summer because the majority of players here are up. It would be good if we could start trying to make inroads for next season and get one or two in on two or three-year deals if we can.

"You want to get them here for longer and not just for a month or two - but then that's the way it's been going, especially in lower-division football."

The emphasis of McCall's approach within the transfer market has changed significantly in six months.

When he first took the City reins, it was a case of filling holes with stop-gap players that he generally knew little about. Now he has wised up to League Two.

"I'm definitely a much better judge now," he said. "The players I'm looking at now I never knew in the summer.

"But now I've had that bit of experience I've got a list of players drawn up that I've seen in action and know can do the job."

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