CRESTFALLEN playmaker Scott Jordan admits time is running out if he is to repeat his goalscoring heroics against Manchester United.

The 25-year-old midfielder was expected to return to full training today after a knee injury prevented him from travelling with the senior squad to City's Staffordshire pre-season training camp.

And while Jordan is hopeful of making his first appearance of pre-season against Selby Town tomorrow night (7pm), he concedes his chances of lining-up against the Red Devils at Bootham Crescent on Saturday (3pm) are looking remote.

"I have missed a week's training so I would think the United game is too late even if I play on Friday night," Jordan told the Evening Press.

"The Middlesbrough match (Wayne Hall's testimonial game) on Tuesday is more realistic but even then the manager may want to switch things around."

The bruising to Jordan's knee is just the latest in a long line of frustrating injuries that have hampered his pre-season preparations in recent years.

"It knocks your fitness back and so you are not as sharp. This is the last year of my current contract so I want be playing as many games as possible," he said.

"You can do as much running as you want but at this time of year you need a to get a few games under your belt."

And games don't come much bigger than against Manchester United.

Only Jordan and Wayne Hall of City's current playing staff can remember first-hand the last time the Minstermen tackled Sir Alex Ferguson's fleet of internationals.

And Jordan has more reason than most to remember City's Coca-Cola Cup exploits of 1995.

After playing in the unforgettable 3-0 win at Old Trafford he scored the all-important goal in the Bootham Crescent return that effectively knocked a star-studded United out 4-3 on aggregate

"Everyone wants to play against them," said a dejected Jordan. "You always raise your game and you can get a lot more out of pre-season matches playing the likes of Manchester United and Middlesbrough than you do playing a lot of non-league sides.

"It will be interesting to see what sort of a team they put out but even if it's a reserve team it will still be full of internationals."

Jordan admits his goal past Peter Schmeichel in October 1995 remains the most significant of his career to date.

"We haven't had too many cup runs since then and I was injured when we played Everton so that goal is definitely the highlight," he said.

Not that Jordan can remember too much about that amazing giant-killing act.

"It was one of those nights when everything just seemed to fly by, " he said. "My dad has got the game on video but I've not watched it too often."

Despite his injury scare, Jordan is looking ahead to the season with confidence.

"I think the way we finished last season we proved a hard team to beat but now we need to create a few more chances and score a few more goals. It all depends on scoring," he said.

"When we've been fighting against relegation over recent years there haven't been that many new players coming in and when it happened at the start of last season no one really knew what was happening because there were just so many changes.

"This season we should definitely be up there."

There will be a full preview of York City's big pre-season friendly against Premiership champions Manchester United in tomorrow's Evening Press.

PICTURE: CLOCK'S TICKING: Scott Jordan, who seems unlikely to get the chance of repeating his scoring heroics against Manchester United