CRAIG Woodley has been given a month to prove he's worth a contract at City.

And the 27-year-old trialist, who made a fleeting appearances as a stoppage time substitute at Hinckley last night, is determined to win over Worcester boss John Barton.

It's been a turbulent 12 months for the ex-Moor Green and Nuneaton midfielder who had his cruciate ligament stapled in the summer but feels he is heading back to full fitness.

"I think John he knows what I can do but it's a question of what he can afford and what I want," said Woodley.

"The lads have been brilliant and I'm enjoying it. I feel quite sharp and we'll see how it goes."

In the last four years Woodley has plied his trade mostly at Moor Green with a spell at Nuneaton in the Conference last season until they had to let him go for financial reasons.

Eight games at the Manor Park club netted him three goals but being released proved the least of his problems as an old injury resurfaced.

"I'd been carrying the injury for about 18 months but I didn't realise the extent of it until I went to have my knee cleaned out and it revealed the cruciate was torn.

"Luckily it was stapled and I was only out for 10 weeks."

"I feel fitter than I have for two years," added the Yardley based midfielder.

"The last two years at Moor Green I was always carrying something and delayed having the operation but I'm glad I've had it done now."

Woodley has played under Barton before, as a teenage student, when City's boss was in charge at Burton Albion.

But the travelling from his Yardley home saw him quit Eton Park before brief spells with Paget Rangers and then Redditch United.

"I actually gave the game up for a few months after that because I'd stopped enjoying it. But I started again, got the enthusiasm back and played for Moor Green for four years."

Moor Green last night managed to do what City have twice failed to do this season - beat Nuneaton - but it wasn't a great surprise to Woodley who is backing his former club to move up the table.

"They won't be down the bottom for long. I think they'll definitely finish in the top half because they've got too many good players," he said.