Zeli Ismail can provide Bradford City with a spark, says Stuart McCall

The ex-Walsall winger suffered a small hamstring tear against another former club in Wolves in the EFL Trophy in early October - and had another setback while doing gym work in his rehabilitation.

Ismail made his return to training today.

McCall, whose side face a tough home encounter with Exeter City in League Two on Saturday, said: "Zeli is back and has joined in with the lads and looks very sharp so he is added to the group.

"Gareth Evans is not far away and he will join in on Monday and Kurtis (Guthrie) is probably a week away and Novs (Lee Novak) is a little bit longer than that as his tear is a little bit bigger."

On the boost of Ismail potentially returning to the fray, the Bantams chief added: "Definitely so. Zeli played more pre-season minutes than any player and it has been a huge disappointment for him.

"Before I came here, I know he did not have a good last pre-season (2019) because he got injured early.

"He was flying (this time), but got an innocuous small-grade strain and came back and was looking sharp again and just tweaked his hamstring again in the gym.

"He is desperate to be involved and is working really hard and his attitude and application has been really good.

"For him to come off the bench for twenty minutes or half an hour, he can be a real threat. He is a talented player who can get at players, so when we are looking for a bit of creativity and spark, then he is a good one to call upon."

Another eager to make up for lost time is Evans following his return to the club for a second spell earlier this autumn.

"He is desperate to get up and running and with the way we are playing at the minute with attacking midfielders, it will suit him down to the ground," McCall continued.

"Because of the amount of games we are playing, the personnel will change and to have another attacking body to have involved is more positive for us."