'Brodie’s time will come'

Brodie was substituted at half-time during Saturday's Blue Square Premier home match with Grays and his replacement Fortune-West went on to mark his debut with City's second goal in a 2-0 victory.

Prior to the Grays game, Brodie had scored six goals in seven outings for the Minstermen, but the frontman, who was a target of the KitKat Crescent boo-boys earlier in the season, endured a difficult 45 minutes in a goalless first half.

Walker's decision to withdraw him upset Brodie at the time, but the pair have put the matter to rest.

The City boss said: "Richard didn't have the best of times on Saturday, but he will come back again and prove people wrong. We have to remember he's only a young lad with a lot to learn, but we had a good chat and we know where we are coming from.

"He's part of the long-term plan and I've told him that. He's just got to make sure he's up and ready for every game he's playing.

"You can't always explain at the time why you are bringing somebody off, but I have done now and he's accepted it. He will have setbacks but if the biggest setback he has in football is me giving him a rocket, he will be very lucky.

"The biggest thing for me though is that Richard was the first person to go up to Leo and shake his hand at the end of the game. That's a great sign of the camaraderie at the club."

Walker declined to confirm Fortune-West would start tonight's game, but believes the 6ft 4in striker could prove a good foil for Brodie, Onome Sodje, Craig Farrell or Martyn Woolford.

He said: "We've got to be very careful with Leo. He might look 26 but he's 36, so we have to look after him.

"The fans saw what Leo was like on Saturday though and I am sure he will play some part in this game. It will be a case of horses for courses as to who we play up front.

"Sodje came on and did a good job for us at Grays and Craig Farrell can also get in behind defences."

Skipper Manny Panther faces a late fitness test, however, with his niggling knee problem.