CITY’S two widemen last Saturday are at very different stages of their careers, and the elder statesmen of the two wants to strike a balance when it comes to helping out his young colleague.

Jamie Walker is in his thirties now, with plenty of Scottish Premiership experience under his belt, while teenager Bobby Pointon is still making his way in the game, with this his debut season of first-team football in the EFL.

Asked if Pointon looks to him for guidance, Walker told the T&A: “I think Bobby respects me a lot as a player and as a person.

“If he ever wanted to ask me something about his playing position, or the way the game was going, I’d be happy to help him with that.

“On the pitch, I’ll always try and guide him, but he’s a top player in his own right.

“He needs to make his own decisions as well and I’ll leave him to do that when necessary.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Bobby Pointon has shown some positive signs in his fledgling City career so far, and Jamie Walker wants to help him, while also letting him have the opportunity to learn things on his own.Bobby Pointon has shown some positive signs in his fledgling City career so far, and Jamie Walker wants to help him, while also letting him have the opportunity to learn things on his own. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

The duo always looked the most likely to unlock the Barrow defence last weekend, in City’s 2-1 defeat, and Walker said: “If you’re playing in that position, out wide, as a number 10, or as a number eight, the main part of your game is to get in the box, scoring or setting people up, as I did for Tyler Smith’s goal.

“That’s mine and Bobby’s job, it’s why we’re on the pitch.

“It’s something the two of us will keep looking to do in the coming weeks.”

Walker also set up Smith earlier in the game, only for the former Hull striker to fluff his lines in front of goal.

The Scot broke the Barrow defensive line well on Saturday and that was a real avenue for City when it came to chances.

Walker said: “I got in behind a couple of times and Tyler probably should have had a couple of goals.

“It’s something the gaffer wants from his number eights, to make runs in behind, so I’ll try and do that.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Tyler Smith (14) had a tap-in from a Jamie Walker assist, but the striker will know he should have bagged a brace.Tyler Smith (14) had a tap-in from a Jamie Walker assist, but the striker will know he should have bagged a brace. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

“I would have kept trying to do it later in the game too, but I moved a little bit deeper (into central midfield) when we got a few injuries.

“It’s what the gaffer wants, he wants people running and passing forwards, not playing the ball backwards or sideways, so that’s something Bobby and I will keep looking to do.”

Could Walker soon end up even further forward, with Alexander admitting after the Barrow game that he prefers to play two or three strikers every game?

The 30-year-old said: “If the gaffer asked me to do that job, I’d be happy to do it.

“I’m a bit more experienced now in my career, so I know a lot of positions on the pitch, as I’ve shown in the last few games by dropping a little bit deeper and playing there.

“If the gaffer asks me to go up front, I’d happily help out in that position.”

Wherever Walker lines up tomorrow against fifth-placed Notts County, he is hopeful City can perform, as they usually do, against one of the division’s high-flyers.

He said: “Over the course of the period I’ve been at the football club, we’ve always seemed to do well against the so-called bigger teams, or those who are doing well in the league at that moment.

“We’ll take confidence from that going into this game against Notts County and hopefully we can get three points.

“If we do that, we can start looking up the table again.”