DEREK Adams has publicly praised Ryan Sparks for the part he played in bringing Andy Cook to Valley Parade.

Morecambe will aim to muzzle the free-scoring City number nine in Saturday’s FA Cup second-round meeting at the Mazuma Stadium.

Former Bantams boss Adams revealed to the T&A before their recent league clash that his relationship with Sparks had been repaired since the Scot's sacking in February 2022.

And Adams acknowledged his former CEO when discussing the threat that Cook, who has got 11 goals under his belt this season, will pose against his Shrimps side this weekend.

“We obviously know the way they play,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire this afternoon. “They have slightly changed since the last time that we played them.

“But they’ve got Andy Cook up front, who I signed on a permanent basis for Bradford City when I was there.

“He was on loan and Ryan Sparks, the chief executive, has got to take great credit for that because he took Andy to the football club and he’s doing really well for them.

“We’ll have to look at him and look after him on the day. But they’ve got some really talented players.”

Adams admitted after his City departure that he had been “too honest” for the fans with some of his comments.

But he still stands by what he came out with at the time and what he has said since – even if it continues to ruffle feathers.

“It’s always nice to play against your former club. It’s a well-supported club.

“I had my views and I was honest with my views – and many people are supportive of the views that I gave because they were factual.

“When you give factual statements, then people have got to accept it. I think the majority of the Bradford City supporters understand where I was coming from.

“The unfortunate thing is that as a Bradford City manager you don’t get a lot of time and you need to win football matches on a regular basis.

“I was unfortunate we drew too many games at home, which didn’t help us, and we would have been in a far better position. But I believe we had a very strong squad going into that League Two campaign.

“Supporters want honesty and sometimes when you give too honest an answer that actually digs at the heart and you make the correct point, when it hits you and you think he’s right but don’t want to accept it, then there is a problem.

“The problem is someone has to have a go back but, unfortunately, I was right and I am right about the situation at Bradford City.

“They are a fantastic football club but there are many things that they have to change for them to become a better outfit and they all know that.”