CHRIS LAKEY It's a case of one down and more than likely one more to go as Peter Grant attempts to weigh up the pros and cons of his first team fringe players. Ian Henderson, who has joined Rotherham for a month, could be followed by striker Ryan Jarvis as the City boss tries to evaluate players in competitive situation.

CHRIS LAKEY

It's a case of one down and more than likely one more to go as Peter Grant attempts to weigh up the pros and cons of his first-team fringe players.

Ian Henderson, who has joined Rotherham for a month, could be followed by striker Ryan Jarvis as the City boss tries to evaluate players in competitive situation.

With places in reserve team football at a premium because of a paucity of fixtures, City's bit-part players have few chances to show Grant what they can do - and the manager has equally little opportunity to judge them.

Henderson and Jarvis are perfect examples, although Grant also highlighted the alarming case of another promising youngster, Rossi Jarvis.

"You look at Rossi Jarvis, a young kid with his talent who has played seven games this season," said Grant. "That is just no way for people to improve their football, so hopefully there will be a couple of other boys going out on loan, and I'm hoping we can get a couple of others in because these boys need to play football."

"Unfortunately, there are not enough games to play in. You could see in the reserve game the other night, a lot of the boys haven't played for a while - these boys need playing.

"Some of these boys have been about this club or a long time without playing many 90 minutes and I think if you are going to improve their game of football they have to do that."

The next obvious candidate is Ryan Jarvis, who made his first team debut in April 2003, but has made just five league starts.

"I have spoken to Ryan as well," said Grant. "If I say to you Ryan Jarvis, in the last there years how many minutes has he played, has he played a full 90 minutes? It would be very, very little.

"You are never going to see an improvement in him and it is very difficult to put boys in in that situation.

"We have had to this time obviously because of injuries. I am hoping to get a few bodies in and if I get a few bodies in does that push them further down the line or do you still keep them on the bench or keep them in the squad?

Hendeson is likely to go straight into Rotherham's squad for their home game against Chesterfield tomorrow.

"They need to play," added Grant. "There are a few boys I have spoken to who I will do that with, but it has to be right for me as well. I can't leave myself short, I have to make sure there are people coming in the door if other ones go out of the door."

Grant confirmed there had been "a few tentative inquiries" over Jarvis, who had a loan spell at Colchester early in 2005.