Bradford Park Avenue manager John Deacey said this week that he had been amazed how well his assistant Mark Hume had adapted to management.

When Deacey returned to Horsfall Stadium for a third spell in the hot-seat midway through this season, it was on condition that he could appoint former centre back Hume as his No 2, but even he didn’t expect Hume to settle in quite so well so soon.

Under Deacey and Hume, the club’s fortunes have picked up, although that is not a slight on former manager Simon Collins and his staff.

A lot had changed at the club since the previous campaign ended with a heart-breaking, extra-time loss in the play-off final.

Avenue were 16th when Deacey returned but are at home tomorrow looking to protect their place in the play- off zone for a second successive season.

That comeback has been hard earned. Deacey has been the mastermind but his trusted ally has been at his side - in fact the first home game of this month saw Hume in sole command from the dug out.

Deacey had been struggling with illness all week and on match-day was not well enough to attend the game so he put his faith in Hume. It was not even a concern for the Bradford boss.

“Mark has been superb ever since we came back to the club as the management team,” said Deacey.

“He deserves a lot of the accolades because he has had so much input and been such a rock during the last couple of months.

"We are in a position to maybe gain a play-off place, and if we do who knows what might happen because the teams on late runs usually do well in the play-offs because they are high on confidence and momentum is with them?

“We all know that nothing is guaranteed as yet, so there is a lot more hard work still to be done. But I’m glad Mark is with us as we go into the final stages.

"He does so much work for the club and is that link between me and the players. His presence in the dressing room and around the club is inspiring.

“He also deals with the people on our board on a day- to-day basis, and I know that if for some reason I’m unavailable that Mark will get the decisions absolutely crack on.

“To say it is Mark’s first job in management, it’s amazing how he has taken to it. He had a really good pedigree as a player and showed all the qualities that set people apart - determination, commitment, desire and intelligence.

“He had a good career and played for some top non-league sides. But that doesn’t give you the divine right to be a good coach or manager.

"This side of the fence is a different discipline altogether, and Mark is showing that he can excel at that as well.”