Bradford City man "might seek a January exit" unless something changes | OneFootball

FLW's Bradford City fan pundit believes Stephen Humphrys could find himself on the move if he doesn't work his way back into selection

Bradford City's main port of call during the summer transfer window was to add more goals to their squad.

The Bantams made an unlikely run to the play-offs in their first season back in League One last term, built mainly on strong defensive foundations. Indeed, their 58 goals scored was bettered by 13 different teams.

And while goals haven't been the name of the game for Bradford so far this season, the arrivals of Jake Beesley as a recognised number nine and Adam Phillips, who has been a consistent 15-goal-contribution attacking midfielder for several years at this level, tick those boxes.

Ultimately, though, the signing of Beesley especially has seen Stephen Humphrys left by the wayside. The 29-year-old netted nine in all competitions last season, but hasn't seen the field in league action in seven games this year.

Why Stephen Humphrys didn't feature for Bradford in August and previous links away

Action Images

Granted, the reason Humphrys wasn't heavily involved in the infancy of the campaign was down to fitness, according to former Bantams boss Graham Alexander.

The striker missed the first two weeks of pre-season, including the training camp in Austria while his partner was giving birth, and Alexander felt that he still had a long way to go before he deemed him ready to impact games.

That almost led Humphrys to leave Bradford on deadline day, with former club Wigan Athletic staging a late bid to bring the 29-year-old back to the Brick Community Stadium. Nothing came of that in the end, and Alexander laid down the gauntlet afterwards to the 29-year-old regarding a return to action.

"He knows how we want to play. He knows how we behave. He knows the fitness levels expected from the team to succeed," the ex-Bradford boss said. "He has real clarity about what's expected, and it's down to every player to do this.

"I've sat him down, and I'm going to sit down with him now that the window's closed. And I'll give him that clear message again. There’s definitely a player in there. We've seen that in the past. He lost his way last season for one reason or another. But it's well within his grasp to find it again without a shadow of a doubt."

Bradford City fan pundit thinks Stephen Humphrys could still leave Valley Parade in January

Action Images

Humphrys made his return to action in the EFL Cup third round against Leyton Orient, scoring and assisting in the 3-1 win at Brisbane Road.

That earned him a place in the last two matchday squads in league action, but he failed to get off the bench against both Notts County and Luton Town. He then played 57 minutes against Newcastle United's Under-21s in the Jersey Mike's Trophy.

FLW's Bradford fan pundit, Boris Thompson, was surprised that Humphrys remained at Valley Parade past the transfer deadline, expecting that Beesley's arrival would have forced him to look elsewhere for game time.

"A player at the club I was surprised didn't leave in the summer was Stephen Humphrys," he said.

"With Beesley coming in, obviously being the favourable choice, we did have quite the plethora of strikers. It was a position we were light in, but I think I saw Beesley as a Humphrys replacement, and when he didn't leave, I was surprised, in all honesty."

With three months now until the winter window opens, Humphrys has an opportunity to stake his claim at the top of the pitch at Valley Parade, and with a new manager set to come in imminently to replace Graham Alexander, he may have a good chance of wrestling that spot back.

If he doesn't, though, Thompson feels he could be angling for a move away come the new year.

"He's one who may seek a January exit, unless he comes into form and becomes first choice," he concluded.

Stephen Humphrys may have been offered a Bradford City lifeline after Preston North End swoop

Action Images

The main questions asked about Humphrys at Bradford since his arrival ahead of last season are what his main position is, and how he can be better used at Valley Parade.

It was evident that the 29-year-old struggled with consistency as the main centre forward in the system Graham Alexander was using. He'd have the odd game where he'd look unbeatable, like against Leyton Orient, but struggled to follow it up — something Alexander mentioned after that performance at Brisbane Road.

Now, though, after Preston North End made Alexander their new head coach, there's the possibility that whoever comes in to replace him in the Valley Parade dugout could come with fresh ideas and a philosophy that suits Humphrys.

The ex-Wigan forward has been a square peg in a round hole so far during his time at Bradford