Taylor has been sidelined for the current campaign because of ankle ligament damage.

But Blues boss Alex McLeish is confident Taylor will soon be ready to return to reserve-team action, although he may find it difficult to dislodge the impressive current centre-back pairing of Roger Johnson and Scott Dann.

McLeish said: "Martin Taylor is at a good level of fitness now and should be ready for the festive season or just after.

"He will be okay for a reserve-team game very soon and we will also look to organise one or two friendlies at the training ground for him."

City's on-loan midfielder Teemu Tainio has undergone a successful knee operation, but McLeish is refusing to put a date on any possible comeback for the Sunderland player.

The former Scotland boss said: "Teemu has had the operation and the surgeon is happy with the way it went. But I'm not putting a timescale on when he may return.

"It seems, every time I do that when a player is injured, I get it horribly wrong."

Scotland striker Garry O'Connor is making good progress after undergoing a hip operation and full-back David Murphy is also not far away from being fit after rupturing a kneecap last season.

McLeish said: "We think we got over a bit of a hurdle with David last week and it is now just about pushing on for him."