Bradford City boss Graham Alexander on filling 'gaping holes' after transfer window admission

The latter is expected to be back reasonably soon, but the former is expected to be out for 'probably a little bit longer', according to Alexander, who was also without loanee Louie Sibley (ankle) in the midweek League One loss to Lincoln, City's third defeat on the spin.

Acknowledging that the high-flying Bantams have changed their recruitment targets in the past few weeks in the light of the absences. Alexander said: “We’ve got two gaping holes there in our squad.

"Not so much with Louie because he’s just joined us but Swanny and Sarce have played significant parts this season.

"You can’t pre-empt injuries. When you look at their injuries, they both came during the lull in games not during the period where we played four in 10 days.

"We certainly have to win games here and now if we want to maintain what we’re doing.

"It happened to us last year when we lost Lewis Richards and Tyreik Wright right at the end of the window. We got Rom (Crichlow) and Tayo (Adaramola) on the last day.

"That was pure luck. If it had happened the next game after the window, we’d have been two players down.

"We were always going to go into February with the full complement of squad we can have.

"It might be that we have to direct our attentions to a certain part of the pitch if we’re going to have risk over Sarce, Swanny and other players.

"We were always looking there anyway but we might have to go one more player if we can to potentially do that. But if we can’t get somebody, then I’m happy with what we have."

One thing that City will not be doing is throwing pots of cash at things, with the club's budget not being as considerable as several of the division's big-hitters.

Alexander, whose side welcome Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, added: "Up to the January window, we were aware of people’s squads and financial clout. I think went toe-to-toe with everybody and showed we could compete on an even keel when we do our thing to the best level.

"The pitch is a great leveller if you do things right. But sometimes off it, it’s not level and some people have more than others like we did in League Two.

"It’s a normal scenario for every level of league football where there’s a disparity in budgets. But we work in a way where we try to overcome those gaps and we’re comfortable with that.

"We don’t moan about what we have or haven’t got. We’re grateful for what we have and want to make it work in the best way for us.

"We to try ascertain very quickly if a player is available and how much that (deal) would look like. If it’s too much money, we put a line through it.

"We try to trim down the workload that we have to gettable targets.

"We have ambition. We have tried for people that have gone elsewhere.

"But that's happened to us in League Two as well. It wasn’t like we could just hoover up the talent.

"There were still fierce competitors on a financial and club level. But certainly, in League One, they’ve gone bigger.

"The level from the top budget to the bottom is extreme.

"This is why it’s important for us to have profiles on players that we feel will fit into our system.

"We can’t go out for three match-winners and say, ‘it’s just down to them’. I don’t want to create a team like that – we have to have a collective and for that to work, they all have to fit together.

"We’re working exceptionally hard with the knowledge we have within the whole club to bring in the players we feel will fit now and going forward.

"It’s not just about this next four-month period. The loans are but any permanent signings we could potentially make are for going forward.

"Otherwise, we’re constantly bringing in players and moving them on and I don’t think that’s good business for the football club."