PAUL Huntington still has plenty to prove to earn a longer City contract.

But the signs look promising for the veteran centre half.

Huntington is set for his third straight start tomorrow against Barrow on the back of a solid display at Morecambe.

The FA Cup tie ended in bitter disappointment for the Bantams but the 37-year-old’s performance in the heart of the back three was a real positive.

Huntington’s short-term deal runs until the end of next month – long enough in Graham Alexander’s eyes, given City’s upcoming schedule, to show that he is worth keeping on.

“He’s got plenty of time but he’s still got a lot to prove as well,” said the City boss.

“I think he’s showed how assured he is playing two games in 10 days.

“Really, the only thing that’s going to stop us going forward with him is how he is physically.

“Can he do it Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday? That’s the question we’re going to ask and he’s going to have to answer.

“But he’s made a really good impression on all the staff and the players. He’s a top pro and we’re delighted to have him with us right now.”

Huntington admitted he did notice the strain on his body after his first full outing against Rotherham in the EFL Trophy.

But he feels he’s getting back into the groove again and hopes to get City back on course to end this sticky run of results.

“The Trophy game was my first 90 minutes for three and a half months since the end of July with the FA camp,” said Huntington.

“After that, I obviously had a month of doing my own stuff before I came into Bradford.

“I was pretty sore for a few days after the Rotherham game. But I feel the training here keeps you to a high fitness level.

“The be all and end all is results and felt we did enough against Morecambe.

“We did a lot of good things and probably had three chances you would fancy us to take. But they’re not quite going in of late.

Aden Baldwin was back in the City squad at MorecambeAden Baldwin was back in the City squad at Morecambe (Image: Max Lomas)

“We need to stick together and bounce back in this busy period.

“The squad’s going to be needed and hopefully we get some more players back. Patto (Alex Pattison) got on at and there are couple of other important ones, Aden Baldwin and (Antoni) Sarcevic coming back.

“It’s a long season and we need to keep that togetherness because it’s not always going to be plain sailing.”

City are without a win in four in the league – with just one victory from seven in all competitions after their FA Cup exit.

Huntington skippered Carlisle to promotion two seasons ago and remembered a similar slump in results in that campaign around the same time – and how they regrouped.

“It was like that when we got knocked out the second round of the FA Cup,” he added.

“You don’t wish that of course but it kind of helped us focus on the league. That’s our bread and butter and what we will be judged on.

“League Two is not pretty on the eye at times but you have to do the hard yards to give yourself a chance of scrapping a 1-0 to get going.

“It’s not just a final third thing, it’s a collective.

“Barrow will make it tough like every team. But we’re back at home and look to come out on the right side of the result hopefully.”

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