Today, Bradford City announced the signing of centre-back Curtis Tilt on a 2 year deal following the expiration of his contract at Salford City. This comes in a time of change within the club as the Bantams prepare for their first season back in League One since 2019 following their promotion to the third tier on the final day of the 2024-25 season.
Join me as we go through what the 33 year old brings to the Bradford City side.
Who Is Curtis Tilt?
A former Jamaican international, a League One winner, a potential liability? These are phrases that have been ever-present in the words of both Bradford City fans and other EFL fans following the breaking of this news.
However, Curtis Tilt comes off the back of success and leadership following his long career which has spanned 10+ years. One major moment stands out and that is his League One winners medal which he gained with Wigan Athletic in the 2021-22 season.
But, the journey to this wasn’t simple with the 33 year old starting in non-league and building his way up before reaching the heights of the Championship with Wigan. Since the 2021-22 season, he played in the Championship before joining League Two side Salford City who he captained for the 2024-25 season.
He is seen as aggressive in his nature and has experience across the EFL and in non-league which have helped him to become the centre-back he is today.
Positive Attributes
One of Tilt’s main positives is his leadership qualities which were clearly demonstrated during his time with the Ammies during both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 season. This quality makes him a key and commanding force when in a line-up. With the Bantams recently losing Richie Smallwood following the expiry of his contract, could the defender step into Smallwood’s shoes as a captain or would someone who has been with the club for longer be better suited?
His experience is also a key positive. With experience winning League One with Wigan Athletic followed by a spell in the Championship, the former Salford man has played at this level consistently before. However, the key question in this situation is can he replicate the levels of performance he was able to execute during his last spell in League One?
Finally, the 33 year old’s aerial presence is a key quality. Standing at 6ft 2in, the centre-back was able to win 74.1% of his aerial duels in the 2024-25 season which helped to keep the ball away from the Salford defensive box whilst also making Tilt a key threat during set piece situations.
Potential Downsides
One of the former Jamaican international’s key downsides is his pace. With League One being a highly competitive and intense league with lots of pace, this could probe a problem and a weak spot in the Bradford defence if he was to play as a starting centre-back next season.
This can already be seen in periods during his performances from the 2024-25 season which saw him dribbled past on 8 occasions creating chances for an opposition team.
Furthermore, his discipline is also a downside. With 8 yellow cards and 2 red cards during the 2024-25 season, Tilt was one of just 7 players to receive more than 1 red card. This meant that the 33 year old was unavailable for key games during the season which arguably hindered Salford City during the season in their quest to make the play-offs.
This is something that could be replicated in the former Wigan man’s time at Bradford City which would mean he would be out for key games. This could be pivotal, especially if Tilt is going to the Bantams to play as a starter week in, week out.
What Do You Think?
Curtis Tilt is an experienced, successful and arguably solid defender for both League One and League Two. But, what do you think? Have Bradford City made the right choice or could they have recruited better? Let me know below.