Lee Bullock does not beat around the bush.

The midfielder gave a completely frank and honest assessment of his last game in a City shirt.

Talking to the Telegraph& Argus he admitted: "I was totally rubbish. The pitch wasn't the best but that was just an excuse - I was rubbish and not doing anyone any favours."

That soggy March afternoon at Stockport's Edgeley Park convinced Bullock that he could not delay a date with the surgeon's knife any longer.

Within days he was in hospital to sort out the hernia problem that had been taking a stranglehold on his performance and his season was over.

Bullock had tried to play through the increasing pain for a month but surgery was inevitable after Stockport.

For a player who had hit the ground running with City since his arrival at Accrington on New Year's Day, his insipid display in Cheshire confirmed something was seriously not right.

It was a frustrating low point for the 28-year-old, who had eagerly snapped up the chance to make his initial loan move from Hartlepool into a permanent one.

No wonder the new campaign cannot come soon enough for him.

Having got the all-clear from new physio Adam Cook at last week's medical, Bullock is raring to get going.

Even the necessary evil of the pre-season slog, which begins at Apperley Bridge tomorrow, is a far more attractive proposition than being sat on the sidelines doing nothing.

Bullock said: "I feel like I've been off forever. I missed the last six weeks of last season and now we've been off for another six or seven - I haven't kicked a ball for ages.

"I'm really looking forward to the pre-season games and playing again. It's been far too long.

"Pre-season is never nice but it's got to be done. It kills you at the time but afterwards you think 'that wasn't so bad after all'.

"It has changed a lot from the old days when you were just sent out running round the training ground for as far and as long as you could. Now it's all structured and aimed more at short and powerful work rather than the longer runs.

"They also get the balls out earlier as well which helps. The running is disguised because you're using a ball, though they are still making you run just as much!"

Bullock injected a physical presence in the middle of the park, standing out quite literally in a City midfield that did not possess much height.

Results picked up significantly with Bullock in the ranks and Stuart McCall sees him as a big player in next season's promotion tilt.

After a couple of stop-start years, Bullock is eyeing a regular run and is buoyed by the signing of Chris Brandon from Huddersfield to play alongside him.

Bullock said: "I've known him from playing against Torquay and Huddersfield in the past. If I was in a team playing against him, he was always one of the players we knew had to be stopped.

"He's a very busy player and hopefully playing in front of his home-town fans will get him confident and buzzing. If that's the case then he could be massive for us next season.

"And I'm desperate to make up for the last few years. I've spent far too much time sat on the bench and then out with the injury.

"I'm 28 now and seasons are going by and I'd love to play every game. Last season wasn't great until I came to Bradford and the previous one I hardly played, so this is a big year."

Bullock also aims to make an impact on the scoring front. Considering the runs into the box he likes to make, he accepts that a tally of just one goal so far is not good enough.

He said: "You can't beat the feeling of scoring goals. Winning is brilliant but to score as well adds that little bit extra.

"Unfortunately it's a habit I fell out of last season and need to get it back. I got into a lot of good positions and eventually scored one against Rotherham but I've got to stick more in the back of the net.

"We've got Thorney (Peter Thorne), who has never lost the habit right through his career and will hopefully keep it up, but getting goals from everywhere is a huge help.

"Joe Colbeck nearly got to ten last time and Nixy (Kyle Nix) weighed in with a fair few, so it's up to me to chip in with a lot more."