Alex Pattison keen to make up for lost time with Bantams

The all-action midfielder is a welcome addition to a squad starting to find their feet under Graham Alexander.

Having kicked off the campaign with three goals in as many games, Pattison is keen to carry on where he left off in a team growing in confidence on the back of four straight wins.

He said: “It’s definitely more upbeat when you’re winning games. That’s to be expected.

“I’ve obviously been injured so I’ve been sat in there seeing everyone come in and they are all happy.

“Everyone is talking about the goals when you’ve won at the weekend and it’s a much happier place to be around.

“I think the confidence and belief within the squad is going to keep growing with the new gaffer.

“He’s come in and put his ideas across and everyone’s taken to them.

“You can see we’re pressing from the front. Everyone is running themselves into the ground for the full 90 minutes.

“The subs come on and nothing changes because they know exactly what’s needed from them. Everyone knows the tactics and the formation that we’re playing.

“It’s been well drilled into us and you can see that paying off on the pitch.”

Pattison has missed the last nine league games since being rushed back from his original hamstring injury in the first half of the Carabao Cup tie at Wrexham in August.

It went again in his first start back at Tranmere five weeks later – in what turned out to be the final game in charge for Mark Hughes.

“I came back too early and it probably wasn’t fully healed,” admitted Pattison.

“I thought it was okay then I started the game and realised I wasn’t right.”

City’s caution with their explosive midfielder over the two months since is therefore understandable. They don’t want to risk another recurrence of the problem with a player who gives no half-measures.

Alex Pattison made a fast start to the season before the injury (Image: Tom Pearson)

He said: “They were wary of putting me back in because they know from minute one I’m going to be intense like I always am. I just give 110 per cent when I go on the pitch.

“They were careful about my hamstring this time and that’s why it has taken a bit longer to come back. But I feel fine, I feel strong and I’m raring to go.

“I haven’t really had any long-term injuries in the past couple of seasons. I’ve managed to play 40 plus games.

“To miss that amount of games has not been great for me but hopefully I’m back and I want to play as much as I can between now and the end of the season.”

Pattison racked up around 40 minutes in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy against Liverpool under-21s and is eyeing more involvement on the bigger stage against Salford this afternoon.

“I’d just like to continue the form I was in and help the team as much as I can,” he added.

“I came on a bit higher up in the game the other night and then finished more in the ‘six’ role a bit deeper.

“I don’t mind playing there because I can do that as well. I’ll do a job to the best of my ability in whatever position I’m called upon.

“We know we’ve got the quality in the dressing room. It’s just getting the confidence into the players and knowing our jobs and what we need to do.

“There’s no reason why we can’t go on a run.”