John Kyriacou will have to earn the right-back shirt when he returns from injury, insists St Albans City joint manager James Gray.

Kyriacou’s impending return from a knee injury has thrown up questions about Howard Hall’s future at the club. When Kyriacou signed from Chesham, Hall’s playing time reduced vastly and he went to Harrow Borough on dual registration. However, after Kyriacou limped out of the Saints’ New Year’s Day loss to Hemel Hempstead, Hall stepped in and performed brilliantly.

Gray now believes it’s Hall’s shirt to lose.

“JK has done well for us this season, then he got injured and Howie and come in and been superb,” he said.

“He’s really stepped up to the plate since coming back. He was man of the match against Chelmsford and he didn’t put a foot wrong at Havant and Waterlooville.”

He added: “They’re both good full-backs so it will be a fight for the shirt.”

Gray revealed that Kyriacou is still “a few weeks” away from being in a position to return to the starting line-up and hasn’t ruled out a loan to get him up to speed.