By Chris O'Brien
February 18 2005

Lee Bullock has heaped praise on in-form City defender James Collins and will use the success of the towering ginger centre-half to get himself back into the first-team frame.

A run of frustrating injuries and the form of Graham Kavanagh and Junichi Inamoto have seen 'Bully' without any first-team action since the narrow defeat at Loftus Road earlier in the season. The desevred 1-0 loss at QPR kept Cardiff right in the thick of the relegation quagmire, but things have rapidly improved and now Bluebirds supporters are eyeing up mid-table - whilst Lee Bullock plots a senior side comeback behind the scenes.

Bullock has failed to grab the headlines since his £150,000 move to Ninian Park from Conference side York City - a deal which had more twists and turns than a good Sherlock Holmes mystery. However, despite the frustrating transfer tussle than eventually saw Bullock leave the Minstermen for pastures new in the Championship, Bullock has spent most of his time warming the substitutes bench or nursing wounds in the treatment room.

Bullock looks fondly to Collins, a player who has now cemented his place in the Bluebirds XI despite agonising outings for the reserves whilst fans pleaded with Lawrence to start the young Welshman. His almost limitless progression was highlighted on Saturday as the Cardiff boss preferred to field a half-fit James Collins ahead of the highly-experienced Tony Vidmar and Robert Page, both who had represented their respective countries during the week. Collins was the rock of the rearguard and shook of heavy bruising to net the winning goal.

"When you look at James' position a few months ago he never had a look-in," said Bullock. "Now he's in top form and one of the first names on the team-sheet.

"The reality of my own position is simple. I've players who are current internationals in front of me and I have to accept that.

"It's going to be tough to break through with these guys ahead of me and the team playing so well."