YORK City boss Russ Wilcox is toying with the idea of playing full-back Brad Halliday further up the pitch against Luton Town.

Wilcox is expected to dispense with his 4-4-2 formation at Kenilworth Road and a switch to 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 are both under consideration.

On-loan Middlesbrough defender Halliday could be used as an attacking midfielder or wing-back in either system with the City boss saying: "Brad has played a lot of games in midfield as a young player and I've had a conversation with him about that.

"He's played centre-half, right-back, in centre midfield and on the right wing in the past, so he's very adaptable as well as being energetic and aggressive. As manager, I have to challenge myself to find different solutions to problems to help us win games.

"If that involves changing formation and personnel, without panicking too much, then that's the way we will go because, if you keep rolling out the same line-up, you usually get the same results. I've got to be super flexible and think outside the box, if you like, to try and find different ways of playing."

With Luke Summerfield likely to be sidelined for the rest of the month due to a thigh injury, Wilcox is looking for the right blend in midfield but confirmed that Dan Parslow cannot be recalled from his loan spell at Grimsby before the end of the season.

He is also not planning to register development phase coach Jonathan Greening as a player yet.

The former Manchester United midfielder, now 36, was playing for Nottingham Forest in the Championship last season before deciding to hang up his professional boots and Wilcox added: "He's not doing anything outside of his youth-team job and, whilst it's an option, it's a conversation I would need to have with Jonathan and, for now, I'm fully focussed on Luton Town."

Wilcox is, however, pondering a recall for centre-back Stephane Zubar in Bedfordshire after he was an unused substitute during Saturday's 2-0 home defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge - his first game back after serving a four-match suspension.

"I didn't want to change things too much at the weekend because John (McCombe) has done really well but we've also got the option of playing three centre backs," the City boss reasoned. "We've got to come up with a plan and that might involve looking at Luton too."

Wilcox confessed, meanwhile, that the Dagenham defeat represented his lowest point in football but has vowed to come back fighting.

Despite only being in the job for four months, he came under fire from certain sections of the Bootham Crescent crowd but he admitted: "That's the nature of the beast if you're not winning football matches.

"It's a bit disappointing because it's never all down to one man whether the team are on a good run or not. I was very down after the Dagenham game and it was probably my lowest point in football but I'm a strong character and also a fighter and a scrapper.

"My son was playing rugby in York on Sunday and there were a couple of our fans there who told me Luton were going to beat us 3-0. I can totally understand their frustration but we have to go there looking to prove people wrong because, if you throw the towel in, there's only one way you will go.

"We've had a meeting with the players and shown them some positive clips from the season as little reminders of what they are capable of. We're in a position. nobody wants to be and have been down there all season.

"That's not me passing the buck because I would have liked to have done a bit better by now, but there's still time. I've been in situations like this as a manager and a player.

"We once lost eight on the trot at Scunthorpe when I was playing and you sometimes do wonder where your next result is coming from but it can come when you least expect it. We went on to finish just a point off the play-offs that season with Scunthorpe and, while Luton away is a tough game against a good in-form team, I know we can pick up points there because there's enough in this group of players."

Wilcox is also aware of the rivalry between City and tomorrow night's hosts from the clubs' Conference battles.

"I understand the history between the two clubs and that makes us more positive to get a result for the fans who will be travelling there," he said.

The City manager added that he was not concerned by Lewis Montrose's petulant reaction to being substituted at the weekend.

"People show disappointment in different ways," Wilcox said of the former Gillingham midfielder's decision to brush off his manager's pat on the shoulder. "I was giving him a reminder that we were 2-0 down and needed more offensive players on the pitch but nobody should be happy to be substituted and I don't want people coming off laughing and joking."

Wilcox is still hoping to learn whether Diego De Girolamo will return to City on loan from Sheffield United this week and seeking midfield reinforcements but striker Carlton Morris has returned to parent club Norwich.

"They have recalled him and I'd like to thank him for his services," Wilcox said.