According to Alan Nixon on his Patreon, Bradford City interviewed Joey Barton for their open management position before choosing to hire Graham Alexander.
Bradford City conducted a thorough search for a new manager. Several candidates vied for the position of Mark Hughes’ successor, but in the end, Alexander, the former manager of MK Dons, was appointed at Valley Parade.
This past weekend, he managed his first match, a 2-1 home loss to Pete Wild’s Barrow. After Tyler Smith tied the score shortly after the break, Dom Telford gave the visitors the lead after just one minute, but George Ray gave the Bluebirds the lead with 77 minutes remaining.
Now, following the game, details of another candidate’s pursuit of the Bantams job have emerged.
As reported on his Patreon, Alan Nixon has revealed that Joey Barton was interviewed by Bradford City. After his exit from Bristol Rovers, the 41-year-old went straight into an interview at Valley Parade, only for the League Two side to go for Alexander instead.
The outcome frustrated Barton, but he’s still after a swift return to the dugout, it is added.
A quick comeback
While Barton didn’t land the Bradford City job, it might not be long before another opportunity opens up. Teams up and down the EFL haven’t been afraid to make changes in the dugout, and given the rate of sackings and departures, Barton might not have to wait a long time for his next chance.
Between his positions with Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, he missed more than a year of action, but it appears that if he has his way, he won’t miss as much time this time.
The majority of Barton’s management tenure has been in League One. The Gas were demoted in the first few months of his leadership, but he brought them straight up from the fourth division, and in their first season back, they finished in 17th position. After he left Bristol Rovers, the team was ranked 15th in League One; however, under interim manager Andy Mangan, they have since moved up to 10th.
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