Banks enjoys support of family and team-mates in Bradford City loan

As a neutral Scot, the winger joined in with both sides as the banter flew between the players and ardent Welshman Mark Hughes.

“Just watching the other lads and reacting has been enjoyable,” laughed Banks.

“Players are desperate to see which way I’m supporting but I sit back and enjoy it. It’s nothing to do with me.

“I’ll just jump on anything that winds somebody up! It’s been a bit of fun around the training ground.”

The World Cup rivalry has provided a light-hearted backdrop during City’s unplanned extended break from the pitch.

When they step out at leaders Leyton Orient, it will be 11 days since the last outing against Salford in the Papa Johns Trophy.

Some players have been glued to the action in Qatar in the meantime. Banks has taken in the odd game but his priority on the weekend off was getting back home to Linlithgow, just outside Edinburgh.

"That was important for me. It was good to see people that I hadn’t been able to in a wee while and get a little bit of a reset.

“Being a lot closer to home this year I’ve been able to get back a couple of times.

“It’s just over four hours - which feels quite rapid compared with driving up from London. That’s something like eight, so I haven’t done it too many times!”

Halving the distance home from his parent club Crystal Palace has been another benefit to the 21-year-old’s loan move to West Yorkshire.

“It’s one of the big positives being here that my family have been able to come to quite a few of the games,” he said.

“It’s something they’ve not been able to do before. They could only catch my games over the internet.

“To have them close and experience what I’m going through at Bradford has been really good. Having the support of my family in person has been a big help.

“They went from being able to watch all my games, to me moving away and not being able to see so many, then Covid … this is probably the first season they can see a consistent amount of games and really get a feel for how I’m doing.”

Banks has been one of the brightest sparks for City so far and he is as comfortable off the pitch as on it.

He has his own support network in the squad with close buddies Harry Lewis, Ryan East and Jake Young ensuring he is never alone after training.

“It’s a good group of boys who genuinely really do look after each other.

“We go for food and coffee together and make sure that we’re not just staying in the flat by ourselves.

Scott Banks really feels at home on loan at Valley Parade (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“Being able to do things away from the training ground with those lads and being around them in a different setting is massive. It helps make you comfortable more quickly.

“When I first came, I was staying in the hotel a lot of the time and you don’t want to be sat in there every night. Being able to go out with them made a big difference.

“I’ve been pretty lucky to settle in really quickly here and that’s thanks to all the players and staff.

“Hendo (Luke Hendrie) comes for a coffee as well as Brad (Halliday) and Levi (Sutton), it’s nice.

“Me and Easty are in similar positions with him coming up from London. My family are closer in Scotland but they’re still not here.

“I’ve been able to meet some of the other guys’ families who come to games and we’re all getting really close. You don’t always have that in football, so I won’t take it for granted.”

The extra time has refocused minds for City’s tough trip to the capital. That Northampton let-down at Valley Parade seems a long time ago.

Banks admitted: “We were on the back of really good form and felt ready for the game. But for whatever reason, things didn’t pan out how we wanted to.

“It’s not something we can get hung up about. We’ve got a big game coming up.

“We had that reset over the weekend when we didn’t play and our heads are full on Leyton Orient now.

“If we go and get the win there it would show a lot about the character of this group.

“We’re good enough to play any team in this league and pick up points when we’re on it. We need to focus on ourselves.

“Our form away from home has been good so we’ve got that confidence going into the game.”

There will also be 1,300 travelling fans from a sold-out away allocation roaring them on for the lunchtime shoot-out. Banks remains in awe of that backing.

“It helps massively for us. The Mansfield and Sutton away support was incredible - I’m not sure I’ve experienced anything like it.

“We need to put on a performance for them travelling all the way down and put a few smiles on faces before we go back up the road. That would be ideal.”