Bradford City v Colchester United: Bantams hoping to reap rewards after break

It is not that the Bantams wanted to sit out FA Cup second-round weekend – particularly not given the controversial circumstances which saw them travel to Exeter City twice for a first-round replay when the Grecians used one substitute too many first time around – but after an eight-game November featuring only two Valley Parade matches, it was probably needed.

The proof will come at home to Colchester United this evening, the first of back-to-back League Two home matches.

Given that City did not win in November – although the nine-match winless sequence they are on includes only three defeats, one in the original game at Exeter which was voided – they were probably in need of pepping up.

Former winger Andy Kiwomya has swapped the BBC Radio Leeds commentary box for the dugout and his new role as performance coach will be focused on getting more out of the players’ bodies, but a weekend off was perhaps as much about freshening minds.

“I think everyone needed a bit of a rest,” admitted Threlkeld. “We’ve got a lot of injuries at the moment and I feel like this has come at the right time to get our own head space and look at ourselves in the mirror.

“Everyone came back looking sharp and willing to work hard. I do feel like it will benefit us.

“All we need is a few wins on the bounce to get the confidence and belief that we can win games.”

Turning draws – there have been nine already in 19 league games – into wins is crucial for the club to achieve its loudly-expressed ambitions to win promotion after three seasons mired in the bottom tier.

If that has put demands on the players, it is only what manager Derek Adams would have done anyway, says the right-back or central midfielder who played under him at Plymouth Argyle.

“If there’s something there that needs to be said he’s the type of manager who will say it,” says Threlkeld of the Scot who has won promotions with Ross County (twice), Plymouth and Morecambe.

“I would rather him say the truth and that’s just how he is. I don’t think he’s going to change.

“He’s good to work under.

“He works us hard and some people do break but it’s how you take to him.

“Some people might take to him well, some people might not like him but it’s professional sport, you have to get on with it and when you step over the white line, give it your all. That’s all he asks for.

“He’s a winner, he wants to win every game.

“You can see in the media he’s not happy with how we’ve won two in 15 (league) games and for a manager that’s just come off a promotion, that’s not good enough.

“We all recognise that and we’re trying to find out how we can win games.

“It’s about putting the ball in the net. There’s no beating around the bush with that, we just need to score goals.

“We’re not winning games so we need more characters, more winners in the squad.

“We just need to find within the squad what we need to do. We’re on the pitch at the end of the day and if we need to shut up shop for five minutes we’ve got the experience to do that.

“The gaffer will put into place things he wants us to do but on the pitch we have to deal with it.”

The Bantams will be without the injured Abo Eisa, Andy Cook, Caolan Lavery and Charles Vernam, as they wait to see if Eisa needs an operation on his hamstring.

Kiwomya, a Division Two promotion winner in 1995-96, sees his new job as returning to the “family” he has been watching from close quarters in recent seasons as a BBC Radio Leeds pundit.

“My previous role has meant I have been able to see a lot of the players already this season, and I arrive with a clear idea on the things I would like to implement, alongside the rest of our performance department, over time,” he said.

“I would like say a big thank you to all the City supporters for the love they have shown me over the years, and I hope to repay that as part of this special club once again.

“It is great to be back in the Bradford City family again.”

The 54-year-old reprises a role he held with his hometown club Huddersfield Town, Manchester City, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.

Last six games: Bradford City LDLLLL; Colchester United LWDWLD

Referee: W Finnie (Bedfordshire)

Last time: Bradford City 0 Colchester United 0, September 12, 2020, League Two