I think every Bradford City fan felt the same towards the end of last season... big changes were needed. On paper the team we had last season should have been absolutely fantastic and we had the prime opportunity to aim for promotion but once again we missed out and under performed which is becoming an all too familiar situation these days for us fans to watch. You look back to when we narrowly lost to Millwall in the play off final back in 2017 we were a team that played well and had a really good chance at playing in the Championship now here we are struggling to leave League 2 behind. It seems like times are changing at Bradford City though as this past summer transfer window has been a great one and we have brought in plenty of players who again have the potential for us to make a promotion push and we are already seeing the results changing on the pitch with these transfers playing a big part in that happening.
Even before Adams was appointed manager the club had a clear out which was bound to free up some wages for new players and make space in the squad for anyone we brought in. It is funny looking at the list though as all the players who left did so due to their contract running out and us not offering them new ones or them declining them. There were a few surprises on the out transfer list for me as I thought one player might have wanted to stay to end his career at the club and a few of the outs have actually ended with retirement which shocked me as I thought those players might have actually had a few more years in them yet. So here is who left the club this summer...
Out
Anthony O'Connor
Connor Wood
Clayton Donaldson
Connor Shanks
Zeli Ismail
Harry Pritchard
Billy Clarke
Will Huffer
Lee Novak
It is funny really how just as I was growing to like Anthony O'Connor he has left us, I think in his first few seasons at the club he was a bit of a left down and didn't really play as we expected and I know that a lot of fans wanted rid of him after those performances, I was one of them, but last season he was in my eyes on of our best players and we let him go which was a bit of a shock but when you see who we brought in you can really see why he left and actually ended up playing in a higher league. I was a bit surprised that Donaldson left too as I thought he would have wanted to see out his career at his hometown club but he has now ended up playing for York and seems to be doing quite well there. The two big shocks for me though are Lee Novak & Billy Clarke who have actually ended up retiring. I thought these two players would have had a few seasons left in them and I though Novak would have done another season at City, I am not sure if injuries have had a big part to play in these decisions or if it is just down to being unable to find new clubs but either way those two players have had pretty good careers.
I am not sure if it was the change of manager or the promises we have made to players in regards to the future of the club and the direction it is heading in but I believe we have also brought in some great names that have a lot of potential and can provide that threat we have been lacking in previous seasons. Maybe it is the thought of playing in front of thousands of fans week in week out that has attracted them as throughout all the clubs struggles in recent years those fans have certainly stuck by them and I might be biased but are by far some of the best fans in the league both home and away. Whatever has happened we have finally had a positive transfer window and hopefully that is reflected in the results this season. So here are the players Bradford City signed this summer...
In
Liam Ridehalgh
Andy Cook
Caolan Lavery
Abo Eisa
Alex Gillead
Oscar Threlkeld
Fiarce Kelleher
Yann Songo'o
Theo Robinson
Lee Angol
Andy Cook was on loan with us last season and I said to Liam straight away I would love to sign him on a permanent and this summer we managed it. Cook is a goal scorer as we have seen and if we keep him fit and away from suspension I think he is going to lay a pivotal part in our promotion push this season. When Alex Gillead first came to City he was still young and pretty inexperienced so I am looking forward to seeing how he performs for us this time around as his pace could really help us in some dangerous attacks. As so the rest of the new signings I am really looking forward to seeing them play a little bit more before I make my mind up on them but so far it is good and we are look like a team that knows what they are doing once more.
What was nice this summer is not seeing preseason team sheets filled with the word trialist, Adams had his squad and gave them that much needed playing time during preseason which was a nice change. We also don't currently have any loan players which is great as there is no chance of players being cup tied, blocked from playing or even worse recalled at the worst time. The players are ours for a change and are free to play which ever games Adams wants them too.
We are now a few games into the season and I am already impressed with what I have seen, the new additions to the squad and the appointment of Adams seems to have really fired up the dressing room and the performance on the pitch is getting much better and we actually look like a team to be afraid of once more. The excitement of going and spending afternoons at Valley Parade is back once more and I am pretty hopefully for the season ahead.
What do you think to Bradford City's summer transfer window? Do you think it was a good one?
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