Cook: The impressive numbers behind Bradford City's centre forward

But Andy Cook continues to lead League Two defenders a merry dance in claret and amber.

The Bantams got an unlikely name-check during Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing show with Du Beke’s disparaging comparison with contestant Hamza Yassin’s tango.

“The bottom half looked like you played centre forward for Bradford City,” laughed Du Beke over the wildlife presenter’s performance.

City were a random club to pluck out of thin air - maybe Du Beke was stirring up interest before he appears on stage at St George’s Hall in July.

His light-hearted remark certainly provoked plenty of reaction in West Yorkshire, including from the actual City centre forward himself.

“The boy can move,” tweeted Cook in response to comments questioning his dancing technique.

And anyone who witnessed that twinkle-toed solo effort at Mansfield, sashaying his way through several defenders to score, will not question his fleet-footed balance in the tightest of areas.

Cook’s score with the Valley Parade judges so far this season must be verging on a perfect 10.

As it is St Andrew’s Day on Wednesday, it seems only right to break down the numbers of the man who has been on another level for the Bantams.

The excellent Bantams Heritage page recently listed the top scorers for City this century and the games it took them to reach those tallies.

James Hanson leads the way with 91 goals from 335 games, Dean Windass is second on 81 from 209 and Nahki Wells the third highest marksman with 53 in 112.

But Cook continues to close the gap and his most recent goal, the penalty against Northampton that he had won himself, was his 36th City goal in 83 appearances.

That’s a very respectable 43.4 per cent strike rate since he first rocked up in January 2021 on loan from Mansfield - where he was struggling to get a game.

Goals in both of subsequent returns to Field Mill have rammed home the point and underlined the folly behind the Stags’ decision to let him go.

Cook has scored in City’s last three league games to draw level with Northampton’s Sam Hoskins at the two hottest marksmen in the division.

He is currently averaging a goal every 103 minutes - 12 minutes longer than Hoskins’ ratio.

When Cook scores, City tend to win.

Cook has scored in 10 of City’s 19 league outings - and they have won eight of those. The consolation spot-kick in Northampton stoppage time ended that winning sequence.

The only other game when he has netted in a defeat was the dramatic late loss at Barrow in the opening away trip of the season.

Cook had come off the bench to score in that - it’s strange to think that he only started one of City’s first four league games.

Don’t underestimate the Vadaine Oliver impact. The stats highlight the dramatic change in Cook’s form since the arrival of a direct rival for his position in the summer.

When Mark Hughes first came in at Valley Parade, Cook’s fortunes were on the slide.

He scored only twice in 12 appearances under the Welshman at the end of last season - last-minute goals in games already won at Forest Green and Sutton.

Cook’s strike rate at that stage was a pitiful seven hours 17 minutes per goal.

It’s no wonder that Hughes looked elsewhere in the major squad overhaul that went on leading into his first full campaign in charge.

Cook knew he had to sharpen up his act before Oliver had even put pen to paper on a three-year deal which was believed to have made him one of the highest earners in the dressing room.

Leaner and meaner, the number nine came back with the bit between his teeth.

Just nine minutes from the bench in the dour curtain-raiser against Doncaster showed he had a fight on his hands.

Similarly, he played only 11 minutes at Colchester 10 days later - but almost snatched a point when he hit the post.

Cook was back in the starting line-up when City headed to Hartlepool at the end of that week and struck twice in his native north-east.

Barring one run of three games against Grimsby, Swindon and Crawley without scoring, he has hardly looked back.

And - as City head for leaders Leyton Orient this weekend - the good news is that Cook has been deadliest on the road.

Nine of his goals have been away from Valley Parade. He scores on average every 70 minutes on City’s travels.

Whatever Du Beke might think, it should be an honour to be compared with this particular Bradford City centre forward.