CALLUM Johnson appears to be no nearer to getting his City career off the ground.

Aden Baldwin, Alex Pattison and Antoni Sarcevic are all coming back into the mix after their lengthy absences.

But the Bantams are still unable to set a comeback date with Johnson, their longest-term casualty.

Graham Alexander admitted: “It’s really frustrating.

“He came out on the grass last Monday with the medical team and did a session. He hasn’t been back out for the rest of the week.

“He’s almost plateaued out and we’re struggling with how to progress him back onto the grass at the moment.

“It’s down to Callum feeling comfortable within himself to say, ‘yeah, I can push it today and extend this session’.

“He needs to be in a position where he feels he can follow yesterday’s session with another one. That’s where we are.

“It’s an awkward one and difficult for him especially but hopefully we can see him again because we know there’s a good player there, without a doubt.

“It’s just been a long process.”

Johnson was City’s third summer signing after Mansfield released him because of a serious hamstring injury which ruled him out for the second half of last season.

He was given just a one-year deal with an appearance-based option to extend that into a further 12 months.

But the defender suffered a calf problem going into pre-season which he has not been able to shift – meaning he has not kicked a ball in anger for the club.

Speaking to the T&A earlier this season, City’s head of football operations David Sharpe said: “There are always going to be risks with players and that’s why I wanted to make sure it was only a one-year deal.

“It would trigger another year if he played a certain amount of games to try and give him that goal of getting on the pitch.

“It’s just been such an unfortunate situation and I’m gutted for him. He’s been in a bad place and we’re all doing our best to try and support him and get him back.”

Johnson had been pencilled in for a game behind closed doors in August but was forced to pull out after suffering a setback.

At that point, City decided to let him take as long as he needs – although Alexander spoke about a potential return in December or January.

But with Johnson’s recovery seemingly stalling, they will just be hoping to get him on the pitch this season.

Alexander said: “He’s got a contract with us and any player with a contract, we have to keep in our plans.

“It’s really difficult to do that when he’s not had a part to play at all in any game so far.

“That’s the real frustration. But fingers crossed, it comes out with a happy ending.”