Slimmed down Bradford City squad hungry for success

In the first transfer window of his third spell as Bantams manager, McCall is trying to create a squad which blends youth with experience, but there is plenty of familiarity, too.

Richard O’Donnell and Dylan Mottley-Henry have rejoined after the club let their previous contracts run down, and Callum Cooke’s loan from Peterborough United has been made permanent. Of the three “new” faces, 23-year-old midfielder Levi Sutton worked with McCall at previous club Scunthorpe United, and 32-year-old forward Billy Clarke is back for a third spell at Valley Parade, and a second under the former Scotland midfielder.

“We know the characters,” says McCall. “I’ve looked into hundreds of players over the summer and spoken to a few as well. When you’ve worked with them you know their characters, you know what they’re like and how they tick. I don’t think there’s anything wrong if you’ve got belief and trust with players, why not work with them again?

“Some people don’t see the benefits in that but if you think you know how to get the best out of players and they react well to you, it’s a no-brainer.”

Although he is looking for a spread of ages in his slimmed-down squad, McCall says they must all have certain characteristics in common.

“What you want is players who have got a hunger and a desire and we’ve brought young and experienced players – Billy Clarke is 32 – who are really desperate to do well,” he says. “I think there’s a good balance.

“They can all handle the ball well and they fit into the way we want to play.

“We believe we’ve brought the right characters in and we’ve got a good group now. We’ve got to foster good spirit and a good environment and everyone needs to push now.”

To challenge for the League Two promotion a club of their stature ought to expect, Bradford will have to sharpen up on their travels. Their last win away from home was in October.

“We only had six games (as manager) last season but the away form was really poor,” acknowledges McCall. “We’ve got to get that right, but we had a couple of good home victories before we finished and we’re looking to build on that.”

The new season will start behind closed doors and in Germany’s Bundesliga and the Championship, that favoured visiting sides. McCall is not sure it will be the same in the fourth tier.

“For clubs at our level the finance comes into it,” he points out. “Overnight stays going down to Exeter or places like that, the Premier League can afford to take two coaches.

“I know it will be totally different without fans but it’s back playing football, what we love doing. I can’t wait for the day when we can get 16,000 back into Valley Parade and get it rocking again. Until that day comes we’ve got to make sure when they do get back in we’re being successful.”

Editor’s note: First and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you. James Mitchinson, Editor