Bradford City midfielder Scales aims for more games again

The City youngster is pushing to be part of Mark Hughes’ first-team plans and did those hopes no harm with a neatly-taken goal at York on Saturday.

But with Hughes looking to trim numbers after bringing in 14 summer signings, the younger end of the squad could be lined up for potential game time elsewhere.

Scales said: “Maybe (that might happen) but at the moment I’m playing here. I’ve just got to see where that takes me and whether it’s here or on loan, it’s only going to benefit me getting minutes in.

“I just want to play well, train hard and see where that gets me.”

The midfielder got his big break two seasons ago as an 18-year-old when Stuart McCall, his options hampered by a lengthy injury list, handed Scales a full league debut against Cheltenham in December 2020.

But it was under his former academy bosses Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars where the teenager flourished.

Scales enjoyed a run of five successive starts around Easter, which included a first senior goal with a fine finish from outside the box at Colchester.

Kian Scales scores his first senior goal for City at Colchester in March 2021

That earned him a two-year contract at the end of the season – but his hopes of building on that promising spell were dashed when Derek Adams soon made it clear that he would not be going down the youth route.

Scales played only four times in a City shirt and two of those were in the EFL Trophy. His only league action was from the bench against Crawley and Bristol Rovers early on.

He got more game time when sent on loan to Farsley Celtic. The change of manager in February did not lead to an immediate change of fortunes in a frustrating campaign.

“Mentally it was tough for me personally,” added Scales. “I didn’t play as much I wanted to obviously and I just had to use that going into the off-season and pre-season.

“I don’t want that to happen again, so it’s just working hard and hopefully I can get some games at Bradford and work my way into the team.

“I want to play games. Last year I didn’t get as many as I wanted after getting a decent run in the team the season before.

“If I can get back to that then that’s all I want to do.”

Hughes has appreciated the application from the likes of Scales, Finn Cousin-Dawson and Reece Staunton in training and the pre-season friendlies.

Kian Scales got a rare start last season against Manchester United under-21s

Scales admits he is enjoying the environment with so many new faces and a legend of a manager to work under.

“It’s been really good. He’s told us what he wants from us and bits that we can improve on.

“Obviously managing at the highest level, he’s seen the best players do it. So even if you can just take something little from what he’s saying and put that into your game, it’s going to improve you massively.

“The new lads that have come in have done really well and gelled. Game by game, we’re looking more like a team.

“We’re bonding and realising each other’s movements and stuff like that. As it goes on, I think we’ll keep getting better and build to that first game of the season.”

Richie Smallwood, in particular, has been an influence on his young team-mate during the daily sessions at Woodhouse Grove.

Scales said: “He was playing in the Championship last season so little things you can take from his game and put in mine can only help.

“He’s calm on the ball and there’s a lot of stuff I can take from him.

“You’ve got to see what other players offer. You’ve got to work together as a team, see what they are good at and add each other’s stuff into your game.”

Scales showed what he is good at with the opening strike against York at the weekend, opening up his body from Lee Angol’s pass and placing it precisely across the keeper and inside the far post.

“It was an all right finish,” he smiled. “I thought Lee was going to cut in himself and I was just thinking, ‘please pass it here, I’ve run 40 yards to get it’.

“He did pass and it went in so I’m buzzing to get a goal. If I can help the team in any way with goals or assists, that’s what you want to do in midfield.

“Finn, Reece and I are still young but we feel a little bit more established, more in there with the lads.

“We know what’s going on around us. It’s not new anymore, we’ve been there and hopefully we can use that as a learning experience to take into this year.”