By Jason McKeown

Alex Pattison went a long way to killing Walsall’s promotion dream last season – now he has the opportunity to spearhead the Saddlers’ redemption arc.

It’s almost exactly 12 months ago that Walsall came to Valley Parade 12 points clear at the top of League Two, on a nine-game winning streak. They came unstuck against the Bantams, with Pattison scoring twice in a Player of the Match display. It changed everything, with the previously indomitable Walsall falling to pieces. They won just three of their remaining 21 league fixtures. They missed out on promotion by one point – pipped to the post by City and Pattison.

And it was season-defining afternoons like City’s 3-0 thumping of Walsall where we will glean our best memories of Pattison, who has just completed the transfer from West Yorkshire to the Midlands for an undisclosed fee. As Walsall found out to their cost a year ago, in Pattison they are getting a really talented attacking midfielder with an eye for goal. At 28, Pattison is probably still in his peak years, and you would expect him to make a real impression. Walsall currently sit third in League Two but have won only one of their last five. Pattison could be the timely boost they need.

Pattison will certainly be fondly remembered in this part of the world. That brace against Walsall came in the midst of a red-hot streak of form where City flew from mid-table mediocrity to automatic promotion contenders. They were soaring over January and February especially, as Graham Alexander unlocked a 3-4-3 approach where Pattison sat deep alongside Richie Smallwood, tasked with surging forward with the ball, or making late runs into the box.

Pattison had a personal run of five goals in nine games that lifted City from ninth to third. He and Antoni Sarcevic – who was moved up front in the 3-4-3 – were the difference-makers that elevated City from patchy to all-conquering. In February, Pattison was shortlisted for League Two player of the month. All in all, the seven goals he scored over the 2024/25 season were huge in helping the Bantams seal promotion at Walsall’s expense.

But perhaps the starkest, most revealing stat about Pattison’s two-and-a-half-year spell at Bradford City is that he only started 36 league games for the club.

And that was the downside. From day one, Pattison looked a really astute, clever piece of business who could make a major difference to the Bantams. But injuries cropped up repeatedly throughout his time at the club, limiting just how much of his high ceiling potential he actually fulfilled. That spell between January and February 2025, where Pattison was so influential, was ultimately too rare.

If only he could have stayed fit. Perhaps Mark Hughes will rue that more than most. After City’s 2023 play off defeat, the Bantams endured a messy close season where little went right with recruitment. Pattison was the exception though. An astute signing from Harrogate Town. He hit the ground running, scoring three goals in his first four appearances to brighten up a muddled start to the season.

But soon after that thrilling start to life at Valley Parade, the first of many injury setbacks arrived. As City struggled with a play off hangover and the pressure grew on Hughes, Pattison was rushed back and made a first start since injury in an away game at Tranmere in October. He lasted all of 29 minutes before injury struck again. City lost 2-1 that night, and the following day sacked Hughes.

Fast-forward to December and an unfortunate repeat. Pattison was being eased back into first team affairs with short sub outings against Liverpool kids, in the Football League trophy, and during an away game at Gillingham. He then came on as a 70th-minute sub at Doncaster just before Christmas, only to get injured again in the closing stages. And that proved the end of his season.

The pattern was unfortunately set. Pattison certainly played more often in the 2024/25 season, but couldn’t shake off recurring injury concerns. He scored the first goal of the campaign – a wonder goal it was too – at MK Dons. But by September he was on the sidelines again – absent for nearly two months. Over the second half of the campaign, he was largely able to stay fit – and enjoyed that memorable run of brilliant form. But even on the final day of the season, Pattison had to watch Sarcevic 90+6 as an onlooker. He had to go off injured at half time, after suffering a poor challenge from the opposition.

Pattison was so unlucky. His all-action style certainly attracted some strong, robust challenges – and he was never a player to back down from a physical battle himself. Maybe he needed to look after himself on the field better, but perhaps in doing so would have lost some of his edge. The problem was that, for how brilliant Pattison routinely was, you could never rely on him staying fit.

That again has proven the case this season where in a couple of big games – Huddersfield and Barnsley – Pattison had to go off early through injury. There were also some slightly troubling signs, in certain games, that his hustling style did not suit entirely complement the Bantams’ methodical tactical approach, especially with the summer swap of Smallwood with Max Power. The latter is more attack-minded and likes to press, which works less well when Pattison is pressing too. When they played together, they left large gaps behind them.

As City have fine-tuned their approach over Autumn, clearly at some point Alexander lost faith in Pattison. He was subbed at half time in the Exeter game at the end of November – after a first half performance where his tactical indiscipline was contributing to City struggling to manage the game. Pattison hasn’t played since – not even appearing on the bench in recent weeks. Last week’s arrival of attacking midfielder Louie Sibley was another nail in the coffin.

Ultimately, we can probably conclude that Pattison is not quite up to the standard City now need. Especially in view of the above-expectation league position that offers them a huge opportunity to push on to the Championship. There is no disgrace in that, and it’s best for all concerned that Pattison finds a new home for his undoubted talents. It’s a cracking signing for Walsall – who will hope he has better luck with injuries.

Like every member of the 2024/25 Bradford City squad who provided us with such a season to treasure, there will be nothing but claret and amber well-wishes towards Pattison. And if he earns a second straight League Two promotion, we’ll all be delighted for him.

But our sights are set upwards on a major prize. In the nicest possible way, we don’t want to see Pattison and Walsall at Valley Parade next season.

Categories: Opinion

Tags: Alex Pattison, BCAFC