Sky Sports exclusive: Bradford City striker Andy Cook on seizing the chance to play in the EFL he never thought he would get, working with Mark Hughes and where he thinks the Welshman can take the Bantams in 2022/23
Friday 14 October 2022 12:01, UK
Andy Cook wondered what he was doing wrong.
For four straight seasons, between 2014/15 and 2017/18, he scored at least 23 league goals; first for Barrow in the National League and National League North, then for Tranmere in the National League.
More often than not, posting such eye-catching numbers tempts clubs higher up the footballing pyramid to take a chance on a non-League player, inspired by the immortal Jamie Vardy rags-to-riches story.
But he found out that it doesn't always work out that way.
"I was in non-League and scoring 20+ a season and seeing people get moves who had scored 10," he tells Sky Sports.
"I got to the point where I was questioning whether it was ever going to happen. It wasn't getting to me, but it was getting to the point where I wanted my chance, though I didn't think anyone would touch me because of my age.
"It was like 'you're on a list of targets, but you're not first choice'. Don't get me wrong, I was gutted at that because I wondered what more I could do."
Eventually, though, he did get the chance, a few months before his 28th birthday.
Having starred in Tranmere's promotion back to the EFL in 2017/18 - with 28 goals in 47 games in all competitions - he left for League One Walsall after the expiry of his contract and adapted well to the step up, with 18 in 50.
Next came a move to Mansfield, 50-odd miles up the A38, but the striker was used sparingly, with most of his appearances coming from the bench. A loan move back to Tranmere was fleeting, but it was a spell at Bradford that reignited his career.
The Bantams signed him permanently in the summer of 2021 and he scored 12 as they finished 14th.
This season has been a different kettle of fish altogether for both the player and the club, though. Going into Saturday's trip to Salford, Cook - who turns 32 next week - has matched his tally for last season in 14 matches in all competitions - and is giving Erling Haaland a run for his money.
Five goals in four games throughout September earned him the Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month award.
"If someone told me if I'd be on this amount of goals at this point, after how the end of last season went, I'd have laughed at them and snatched their hands off," he says.
"I started off well last year as well, but then got injured and I didn't think I was the same player. There have been times when I've not been scoring over the years and I've been going into games wondering if I'll ever get the chance to score again.
"But this year, we are getting lots of chances, with the way we play under the gaffer, and, thankfully, I've been in the right place at the right time.
"When I keep on scoring as often as I am, I'm going into every game thinking that if I get a chance, I will score. My confidence is sky high."
Bradford, meanwhile, sit sixth in the Sky Bet League Two table.
The man at the helm, overseeing their resurgence, is two-time Premier League and four-time FA Cup winner Mark Hughes. It was seen as quite the coup when the Welshman took over at the club in February, particularly given his vast experience managing in the top flight.
Earlier this season, he made it clear in an interview with Sky Sports, that promotion was the target for the club. Hughes admits his know-how and ambition is rubbing off on the players.
"I know I'm 31, but you're always learning, aren't you? He's not a bad person to learn from," Cook adds. "I probably speak for everyone at the club when I say it's different class working under him.
"I can't say I ever thought I'd play under Mark Hughes, let alone do finishing drills with him, given where he's been and where my career has been. I just try to embrace the opportunity every day."
Cook is in no doubt about where Hughes can take them.
"This year, we've got a set of lads who are thriving at the opportunity to play for Bradford and the expectation is that everyone expects. I've been here for a couple of years now and there's a good vibe.
"Without sounding disrespectful to some of the smaller clubs in the league, they come up [to Valley Parade] and this is like their cup final and they do up their game a bit. Even if we're not playing well, we're getting 18,000 a week, and it's like having an extra man. It can give you that lift that sometimes you need.
"All the lads fight together and we all go out to win every game and you can see that in the dressing room.
"I'm going to be biased, but I think we are definitely capable of promotion if we carry on the form we are in. I know you do drop form over the season, but we need to keep on going and see where we are.
"We proved we can do it against better opposition so, hopefully, if we carry on going and end up getting promoted, we can show next year that we can still compete."
It has been five seasons since Bradford were a League One club, but with the way things are going for the Bantams at the moment, with Cook in inspired form, it may not be too long before they gain that status once more.
