In the sixth minute of the League Two clash between Barrow and Bradford City on January 1st 2025, Bantams talisman Andy Cook broke his anterior cruciate ligament, thus ending his season.
Many thought that Graham Alexander’s side would struggle without their number nine, but Bradford managed to earn a historic promotion from the fourth tier.
Now, the best part of 10 months after the Barrow game, could Cook be ready to return to the starting XI against Blackpool in League One?
Why May Cook Start?
There are a number of reasons why it might be time for Cook to return to the starting XI on Saturday:
Will Swan’s Injury Status
Will Swan has been the player tasked with leading the line in Cook’s absence since the Bantams’ promotion to the third tier.
But the 24-year-old picked up what Alexander described as a “niggle” in the days leading up to the club’s monumental Carabao Cup game against Newcastle United.
As a precaution, Swan was entirely left out of the matchday squad that travelled to St. James’ Park. This was despite Bradford being able to name a larger-than-normal nine-man bench.
Swan’s manager did not offer any concrete updates regarding his fitness in his pre-Blackpool interview.
Alexander said: “We’ll see how he is. I’ll leave that to Bobby (Scarborough, the Bradford City Head of Medical) to speak with Swanny.
“It was one where if he had played on Wednesday, he would have definitely struggled for tomorrow. So, we just felt the extra days would give him the best chance of being available.”
Perhaps the 53-year-old will not risk starting Swan due to the aforementioned fitness concerns, paving the way for Cook to return to the XI.
His Promising Performances Thus Far
Although Cook has played just 54 minutes of football this season, he has already put in some great performances.
On his return from injury, in the EFL Trophy against Grimsby Town, the 34-year-old came off the bench to score a late brace and win the game for Bradford in front of almost 5,000 adoring fans at the University of Bradford Stadium.
Cook also came off the bench to make an impact against Newcastle. The boyhood Magpies fan scored an outstanding volley from just inside the box to give the travelling fans a moment to savour from their trip to Tyneside.
This means that he is already one of the Bantams’ highest scorers in all competitions. Alexander would surely be keen to add that attacking threat to his starting XI in the league as soon as possible.
Blackpool’s League Position
The final reason why this may be a good time for Cook to re-enter the League One fray is not because of Bradford, but because of their opposition.
Despite having a strong squad on paper, Blackpool have endured a torrid start to the season. They currently find themselves in 21st place in the third tier, as they have picked up just seven points in their eight games.
Additionally, the Tangerines have one of the leakiest defences in the league. Only Plymouth Argyle have conceded more goals per game than Steve Bruce’s men, and they have conceded the sixth-highest xG of any League One side.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell has majorly struggled in the Blackpool goal, with only Corey Addai preventing fewer goals than the Northern Irishman. He also has one of the worst save percentages of any League One shot-stopper.
This may mean that it is a good time for Alexander to rest and rotate some of his attackers as Bradford are facing such a defensively poor side, which may allow Cook back into the starting team.
Why Might This Not Be The Right Time?
But there are also reasons why it may be best to wait until Cook starts for Bradford again.
The Form Of Bradford City’s Front Three Thus Far
The Bantams possess one of, if not the, most in-form frontlines in League One at the moment.
Swan has thrived at the University of Bradford Stadium since arriving from Mansfield Town in the summer. He has already found the back of the net six times in just 11 games in all competitions, making him Bradford’s top scorer.
Furthermore, homegrown hero Bobby Pointon has taken to League One like a duck to water. The 20-year-old has scored five times in his first eight starts in the third tier, and these goals have come from just 2.01 xG, showing the quality of his finishing. He is currently the joint-highest goalscorer in the third tier.
Finally, Antoni Sarcevic has provided the experience and technicality needed to neatly knit the front three together. The attacking midfielder has provided two assists and scored three goals in the league thus far.
The Bantams are riding the crest of a wave as they sit atop the League One table following their promotion, and Alexander may not want to disrupt their winning formula.
The Risk Of Reaggravating His Injury
Perhaps the main reasons why it may not be the right time for Cook to start are medical reasons.
The striker is 34 years of age and is coming off a nine-month injury layoff. The worst thing that Alexander and co. could do is rush Cook back to action only to see him re-injure himself, which commonly happens with players who are returning from long-term injuries.
Like with Swan, Bobby Scarborough will ultimately have to make the call as to whether Cook is ready to play at least 45 minutes on Saturday.
When he is fit, the number nine is a 20-goal-a-season striker. It may be best for the frontman to bide his time and slowly work his way back to full fitness, so that he can provide an explosive impact in the second half of the League One campaign.
