FINN Cousin-Dawson has found some purpose to his football again after admitting how hard it had been out of the picture at City.

The young defender has not featured under Mark Hughes and is currently on a season-long loan with National League North side Spennymoor.

Cousin-Dawson, who has made 40 appearances for the Bantams, is enjoying the chance of regular game-time once more - even if he has had to drop into non-league.

“It’s a little step back but in the long run I think it will be a big help for me,” he said.

“It’s going well and it’s great to have something to look forward to after training.

“It’s horrible when you’re not playing. It’s something as a young lad you’ve got to not get used to as such but try and understand.

“If you’re not out on loan then you are one of the squad players, which happened to me last year.

“It’s tough mentally when you’re training and then not looking forward to the game at the end of the week. But you have to keep doing everything right because the chance will come at some point.”

Stuart McCall handed Cousin-Dawson his City debut in 2020 but he really flourished under the joint command of his former academy bosses Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars.

Cousin-Dawson initially featured when Derek Adams came in but found his opportunities more limited as last season went on.

His last League Two appearance against Harrogate in February was the game before Hughes was appointed and the Welshman made it clear in the summer that the 20-year-old should look to go out on loan.

Cousin-Dawson added: “It was quite difficult to digest at first. But I had to think that I’m still quite young and I’ve just got to play more and more games to gain experience.

“I didn’t have an ego about it. I knew it was coming.

“Obviously I was a bit frustrated because every player thinks they should play. But it was the best thing for me, so I had to get my head round it really.

“You see kids my age each year get moves from being in the Conference and Conference North so that was a thing for me as well.

“I’ve still got another year behind me on my contract. So whatever I can do this season, hopefully that can progress me and put me in a good position for next year.

“I’m still in Bradford a few days a week training, so there’s always that contact with the club.

“But obviously I’d love to be involved. It wasn’t a great result the other night but I think it’s the highest they’ve been since I’ve been here.

“It would be great to be part of, especially the way the gaffer wants us to play. That’s kind of how I like to play as well.”

Having played right back with City, the Northern Ireland under-21 international is currently being used as the right centre half of a back three with the north-east club.

“I’ll probably say I prefer it but getting in at centre half at 18-19 at a League Two club would be quite difficult. You’ve probably got to get your games at right back first, which I understood.

“It’s anywhere to help the team out really.

“I’m coming up against some big centre forwards - they seem to get bigger each week.

“I think it helps because when you go back to League Two, you’re not going to come up against so much physicality up top.

“You might get a few but even the wingers in this league are massive. But you’ve just got to deal with that and it will make me stronger as a player.”