Tuesday 24 May 2011

Peter Jackson's Bradford army

Now that Bradford City's future at Valley Parade has been secured, it's time for the second worst secret in football to be unveiled - and the club to announce Peter Jackson as the new permanent successor to Peter Taylor.

This blog has maintained its support for John Coleman, who even now is still being rumoured to be the next man in the Valley Parade hotseat. But it seems certain that City will appoint Jackson on a permanent basis.

Jackson has an indifferent pedigree and his record last season was worse than that of his predecessor Peter Taylor as the club suffered its worst league season since the Sixties. Nevertheless, now that Jackson has been appointed, it's time for everyone at the club to finally pull in the same direction and strive for a longer-term future.

The details of his contract have yet to be announced, but when the club have long-term deals in place with the likes of James Hanson, Steve Williams, Jon McLaughlin, handing out similar terms to Ross Hannah and are trying their best to give more secure futures to other targets, such as that rumoured to be given to Sam Russell at Darlington, playing-wise that is starting to take place.

Stuart McCall was given time though not without its ups and downs, and even he was eventually hamstrung because the club did not budget long-term. Taylor himself was given short shrift and out after just a year. Now is the time for City must lay some solid foundations to avoid a repeat of this summer and no longer make knee-jerk reactions. Give Jackson time and give him the tools to do the job, and importantly club, justice.

Whatever any of us think of Jackson, the past is the past. City must now look to the future properly otherwise there may not be one.

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