Colin Todd has promised fans that City will keep their Derby loan stars into the new year.

Todd is convinced a deal will be struck with Lee Holmes and Nathan Doyle despite chairman Julian Rhodes revealing there has been a slight hitch.

Rhodes said: "There is a little issue that we are trying to resolve at the moment but we are still hopeful of signing them up until January 1."

The City boss was more bullish after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Rotherham, claiming: "They will get done."

The talented pair are currently on a three-month stay which expires after the Brighton home game on November 4.

City are trying to push that back until New Year's Day, the same length as David Graham and Ben Parker, but must get it sorted by Thursday to meet Derby's August deadline.

Doyle, who is the season's first Telegraph & Argus/Bradford & Bingley player of the month, and Holmes both featured in the Yorkshire derby as City hit back from falling behind for the third home game on the trot.

Will Hoskins fired Rotherham into a first-half lead but Todd's side recovered after the break to earn a point through Dean Windass.

Rotherham tried their best to stifle City and Todd admitted that his players are becoming victims of their own success.

"People have seen we're playing extremely well so they aren't going to come here and just lie down," he said. "They know we are a threat going forward.

"You might have thought that was tough but the next home game will be the same.

"We've set very good standards and didn't have that cohesion at times. We've still contributed in terms of creating chances, not as many as we would have liked but we hit the woodwork a few times. The goal didn't come early enough for us. Had we scored a bit earlier then Rotherham would have found it even more difficult.

"But we've dug deep and we're not despondent at all because it's a valuable point.

"We are trying our best to win games in the right manner and once again it augurs well when you see the players' never-say-die attitude to continue to probe to get back on level terms."

Todd threw on three substitutes - Graham, Alan Rogers and Joe Colbeck - and all of them were involved in the build-up to Windass's equaliser.

He added: "It's a good squad but I'd certainly like it to be a bit stronger in terms of personnel. But that might come eventually."