STEVE Bruce has revealed that George McCartney’s alarming loss of form that has seen the Sunderland left-back plummet down the pecking order has been linked to “personal problems”.

The Black Cats boss became so concerned that McCartney was unsettled he pulled the Northern Ireland international from the first team squad, converting Anton Ferdinand into a makeshift replacement.

Ferdinand has proved an adequate replacement and with Kieran Richardson and Michael Liddle offering Bruce further options McCartney’s position is in doubt.

Bruce made no secret of his desire to recruit two fullbacks in the last transfer window but while a loan for Alan Hutton strengthened the right hand side, failure to land Maynor Figueroa from Wigan meant the left-back problem remained unsolved. Ferdinand’s switch is regarded as a temporary move and Bruce is expected to make a new leftback a priority this summer.

After becoming increasingly frustrated with his role on the sidelines there is a possibility that McCartney’s cameo appearance at home to Fulham in February could prove to be his last for Sunderland.

McCartney has three years to run on his contract but his long-term future remains uncertain.

After linking up with the Northern Ireland squad this month he commented that he’d been enduring “a rough time” on Wearside.

Since re-joining Sunderland from West Ham for a fee of around £6.5m the Irishman has struggled to impress on a regular basis and he’s been plagued by injuries.

Bruce explained: “Nobody’s really asked me about George McCartney but he is injured, he’s got a hamstring problem and that’s legit. He had personal problems before but he’s over that now. I’m not being disrespectful to George but he was having a tough time and sometimes you need to be taken out of the firing line for a bit to recharge the batteries and come again. George has got to accept that, which I’m convinced he will. Hopefully.”

Phil Bardsley this week voiced concern that Hutton’s arrival had ousted him from the first team picture, but Bruce has been impressed with the attitude of the former Manchester United trainee whose been utilised in defensive and midfield roles recently.

Bardsley’s versatility has persuaded Bruce to consider offering the Salford-born defender a new contract.

He is in line to start against Tottenham on Saturday as replacement for Hutton who is ineligible.

The manager said: “I’ve known Phil since he was a kid.

The one question you can’t level at him is about his honesty and integrity. He is a good lad, popular in the dressing room but if we’re going to go forward we need competition.

With the chance to get in Alan it meant Phil found himself out of the team. I’ve read his comments this week. I’ve had no real dialogue with the owner or chairman about next year and revisiting contracts, we’ll have those conversations in the next few weeks and we’ll do the honourable and right thing.

“He’s been involved in the vast majority of games and we’ll sit down with him in the summer and see where we go from there.”

■ Sunderland supporters wishing to renew season cards for the 2010-11 season and take advantage of discounted early renewal prices and the club’s direct debit scheme are being urged to do so as soon as the renewal deadline is at 3pm on Saturday.