Michael Flynn has warned City: Beware the Martin Allen effect.

The quirky Gillingham manager takes charge of his first home game tomorrow.

Former Bantams skipper Flynn, who has also captained Gillingham, spent the first ten days of pre-season on trial with the Kent club after being released from Valley Parade .

He was not offered a contract because of financial constraints but saw enough of Allen to know the challenge facing City if they want to get off to a first-day flyer.

Flynn said: “There’s method behind the madness. Martin is a little bit eccentric but he’s a very clued-up coach.

“He’s someone I’ve known for quite a long time and I’ve always rated him as a clever manager.

“I’ve heard a few people say that he plays on his image and there’s only Martin who can answer that. It’s part of his character now.

“But make no mistake, he is a good manager who knows exactly what he’s doing. Spending that time at Gillingham with him, I saw how he works and I was impressed.

“Having done my coaching badges this summer, it was a good chance to take a step back and watch him take a couple of sessions. He stripped everything down to the bare bones and got his message across very effectively.

“A lot has been changed there over the summer because Martin is totally different to Andy Hessenthaler. But they’ve got a strong side with good players.

“Martin’s also got a good backroom staff behind him and a number two, John Schofield, who knows the bottom leagues inside out.

“Martin’s not just gone in there to take a job for the sake of it. He will pile a lot of expectation on himself as do 99 per cent of good managers and he wants to be a winner there.”

Flynn, who now plays for non-league Newport, believes Phil Parkinson’s side can deliver this season.

He added: “I really think that Bradford are going to do well. Phil has bought well and they are going to be up there.

“I hope they will be and Gillingham as well, because I had a great time down there earlier in my career. Seeing them both get promoted would be ideal.”