Jake Young needs fresh start away from Bradford City

Dominated column inches you would have said in years gone by but with newspapers online nowadays it’s all about page views, hits and clicks.

And Young had the Midas touch when it came to clickbait.

Whether it had been rejected bids, rumoured offers, Swindon goal-fests or Mark Hughes banishing him to the left wing at Park Avenue, the striker has rarely been off the news agenda.

But Tuesday will mark two years since Young scored the last of his four goals in a City shirt.

That curling finish against Walsall in front of the Kop suggested the one-time Guiseley youngster was launching himself into a big season with his local club.

Jake Young makes his final City appearance at Grimsby (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Nobody who witnessed it could have imagined that he would not celebrate with those fans again.

Whether through circumstance, performance or injury, City never got to see the best from Young.

That purple patch during his loan in Swindon’s colours last season whetted the appetite to get him back and doing it for his parent club.

Graham Alexander was as keen as any dyed-in-the-wool supporter to see Young banging them in like that as a Bantam.

He fought to keep the frontman in January when the club rebuffed three bids for his services. But then hamstring injury struck and the season was gone.

Young spoke eagerly about the chance to establish himself once fit.

But fleeting glimpses in pre-season did not do enough to force his way into the starting line-up.

One brief sub appearance at Grimsby – and a successful penalty in the shoot-out – proved a footnote to an unfortunate chapter.

City accepting a bid from Fleetwood a week ago appeared to be the decisive moment of another window full of speculation.

After Crawley, Stevenage, Barnsley and Wigan, the decision for Young seemed to be a straight choice of West Yorkshire or West Lancashire.

Jake Young scored four against Crawley last season (Image: Swindon Town)

But it would have meant staying in the same division for a player clearly with his sights set on moving up a level.

He stalled on Fleetwood’s interest waiting for another offer to materialise from higher up.

Stevenage duly came knocking again on deadline day – City rejecting their first attempt before eventually agreeing to a late deal they feel makes sense for all parties.

A parting of the ways with Young became inevitable. His head had been turned – it’s understood he would only speak with clubs offering to more than double his salary.

Alexander’s recent mention of being distracted and “wanting the best version of any player” was a shot across the bows. A clean slate suits all.

A year ago, Young was named League Two’s player of the month – the first of two individual accolades during his Swindon spell.

Twelve months on, he’s got the chance to prove it all again with a fresh start for Stevenage.

And City fans – who saw Young play just 14 hours and two minutes of football for their club - will watch with interest and wonder what might have been.

JAKE YOUNG TIMELINE

2021

April 2: Scores for Forest Green in 4-1 defeat at Valley Parade behind closed doors.

October 30: Scores Forest Green equaliser in a 1-1 draw – with Derek Adams fuming that a foul wasn’t given in the build-up.

2022

May 20: Young joins City on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

August 6: Young scores within five minutes of coming off the bench in City’s 3-2 loss at Barrow.

August 30: Young nets two in a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Valley Parade in the EFL Trophy.

September 3: He scores again in a 2-1 home win over Walsall – his fourth and final goal in City colours.

October 18: Young is subbed after 76 minutes of a 4-0 thumping at Burton in the EFL Trophy – his last appearance under Mark Hughes.

2023

January 14: Young joins Barrow on loan for the rest of the season.

January 28: Young makes his Bluebirds debut from the bench against Northampton.

July 9: He is told on the day that he is not part of the City squad flying out to Spain for the pre-season training camp.

July 19: Young is the only senior player to feature in City’s friendly at Bradford (Park Avenue).

August 2: He joins Swindon on a season-long loan – although City have a recall clause.

August 12: Young scores his first Swindon goal in a 2-2 draw with Crewe.

August 19: He scores twice in a wild 5-5 draw at Wrexham.

August 26: Young scores four goals against Crawley – and is named League Two player of the month.

November 28: He nets for the sixth consecutive match with a goal against Accrington to earn his second player of the month accolade.

2024

January 2: Graham Alexander recalls Young to Valley Parade.

January 27: City put a month of transfer-window speculation to bed by bringing Young off the bench – against Swindon.

February 13: Young damages his hamstring against MK Dons after coming on in the second half.

Jake Young chats with Lewis Richards after a pre-season game (Image: Thomas Gadd)

February 28: Alexander confirms Young’s season looks over after he had an operation.

June 24: Young is back with the squad for pre-season after spending two weeks of rehab at St George’s Park.

July 2: The striker tells the T&A that he never gave up hope of making his mark with City.

July 6: Young plays the first 45 minutes in the opening friendly at Chorley.

August 13: He comes on as a sub at Grimsby in the Carabao Cup and scores in the penalty shoot-out.

August 23: Fleetwood’s bid for Young is accepted by the Bantams.

August 30: Young seals deadline-day move to Stevenage.