Bradford City Defender Paul Huntington Aims for New Contract
Bradford City’s veteran centre half, Paul Huntington, has expressed his desire to stay with the club beyond his current contract, which is set to expire. The 37-year-old defender joined the Bantams in October as a free agent and played a crucial role in Graham Alexander’s squad as they secured promotion to League One.
According to The Telegraph & Argus, Huntington featured in 22 games for the club, providing a wealth of experience to the squad. "I would love to stay if that’s an option," he said. "With the celebrations we’ve had, we’ll sit down and go through individual meetings and find out what the plans are for the future." Huntington, who was released by Carlisle last summer, initially joined Bradford City as cover for the mounting number of injuries at the back.
The veteran defender has praised the team’s manager, Graham Alexander, saying, "I’m all for the team and have loved working with the manager, who’s so level about everything." Huntington, who has been available for 37-38 games and played in 22 of them, added, "I’ve got the enjoyment back because I hadn’t been playing for various reasons in the second half of last season."
Huntington was part of the dramatic finish to the season, which saw Bradford City secure promotion to League One. He was on the Valley Parade pitch for the final whistle after being brought on as a sub during the madness that followed Antoni Sarcevic’s goal. "I was warming up near the corner flag and when it went in, I was celebrating with the lads, with Sarce and the fans," he said.
The defender has previously won promotion with Preston and Carlisle in the play-offs, but this latest success was particularly special. "At 90 minutes, I was thinking, ‘jeez, play-offs again and dragging yourself out of bed Monday morning for training’," he said. "What a way to do it. But I felt we deserved to win the game and across the season, from what I’ve seen, definitely deserved to go up."
As reported by The Telegraph & Argus, Bradford City’s retained list is expected to be released in the next 24 hours or so. Huntington’s future with the club remains uncertain, but he has expressed his desire to stay. "It was like it was meant to be," he said. "I’m trying to soak it all in. I’ve been promoted a couple of times at Wembley and you just get pushed out of there."
The veteran defender has praised the team’s squad effort, saying, "We’ve had a lot of key players missing for large parts of the season, (Alex) Pattison, Sarcevic and (Andy) Cook. It’s been a real squad effort. People have had to step up and fit in but that’s what it’s about." As The Telegraph & Argus reports, Huntington’s experience and leadership will be crucial in the club’s future success.
In conclusion, Paul Huntington’s desire to stay with Bradford City beyond his current contract is a significant boost to the club’s promotion hopes. As reported by The Telegraph & Argus, the club’s retained list is expected to be released soon, and fans will be eagerly awaiting news on Huntington’s future. With his experience and leadership, Huntington will undoubtedly be a valuable asset to the team in the coming season.
