By Jason McKeown
Will Atkinson has revealed, via Twitter, that he is signing for Bradford City. The 23-year-old winger spent the second half of last season on loan at Valley Parade, making 12 appearances and generally struggling to make a decent impression.
Atkinson was released by Hull City during the summer, after growing up at the East Yorkshire club where Phil Parkinson would have known him from his brief spell as manager. He only ever played six times for his local team, but various loan spells at Port Vale, Mansfield, Rotherham, Rochdale (twice) and Plymouth mean Atkinson has almost played 100 games in his career.
Indeed it was at Dale where Atkinson made his name, including impressing against the Bantams during a 3-0 win at Valley Parade in December of Rochdale’s 2009/10 campaign, where Dale were promoted. He played, at the time, alongside fellow Bantams summer signings Rory McArdle and Gary Jones. Like the pair, he has proven he can perform and perform well at this level.
With Atkinson able to play left and right winger, one would assume he is back up for the first team with Kyel Reid and another wide player the main starters. Width of a Post reported three weeks ago that Garry Thompson has held talks with the club. Despite struggling to impress last season, Atkinson should make for a decent back up choice.
No doubt this signing will be announced formally very soon. Parkinson will probably not best pleased by how this has come out.
Hardly the exciting signings we were promised when the season tkts run up was in full swing by the club?
It’s Rochdale Fc circa 2010