Names were being thrown about in the immediate aftermath of Peter Taylor’s decision to walk away.

Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes ping-ponged potential replacements back and forth as the search for the next City manager began again.

But one candidate was conspicuous by his absence during that idle conversation.

Peter Jackson may have made the short-list before Taylor was appointed but, having spent the 12 months since then as a partner in his wife’s care firm, he did not spring to mind.

“I didn’t even think about Peter at first,” said Lawn. “Being honest, it wasn’t until he rang Julian and said how keen he was to help.

“He was what this club needed at that time. So our attitude was ‘let’s let him have it and see where the club can go from there while we get on with interviewing’.

“But he has turned round since then and become the number one candidate. For one thing, he knows where players’ best positions are.”

Jackson just wanted that chance to prove what he can do. His positivity and full-on approach has grown on the two chairmen.

Rhodes admitted: “As time went on, we became more and more impressed with him.

“One thing Peter did was put a smile on people’s faces despite everything that was going on. It was badly needed.

“You could see from the start that he is passionate about the club and desperate to do well.”

Dagenham’s John Still and John Coleman at Accrington were seriously considered. John Hughes was interviewed the day after Jackson stepped in and impressed with his ideas.

But Jackson was always in the box seat as the man in possession.

His record itself, four wins in 14 games, is hardly earth-shattering. But given that he took on a team on its knees – with no chance of adding to it – City looked beyond the scorelines.

Lawn said: “Anybody who took over the team we had at the back end of the season and still managed to get the points that we attained with some very poor performances deserves a crack at it.”

Jackson’s more open approach has also won him votes up top. After the cloak and dagger style of Taylor, the owners are allowed to have their own say in the decision-making again.

“Working with him means exactly that,” added Lawn. “It’s nice to be told the team playing that day before you go into the boardroom.

“What we’re really hoping with Peter is to see us play exciting football again.

“We don’t think the Bradford City fans got enough entertainment last year. Now we’re hoping to have a team that will create more chances and score more goals, making us more fun to watch.”