Jamie Walker reveals Mark Hughes shock factor that left Bradford City stars stunned as ex Hearts man eyes Wembley glory
The former Hearts man is flourishing at the Bantams and loving life under Welsh icon Hughes as he prepares for a trip to Wembley.
Peering out the upstairs window of Bradford City’s home dressing-room, some players refused to believe it.
Mark Hughes as manager? The former Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea striker? The guy who was managing Manchester City not that long ago? Some hardened League Two pros just weren’t having it. But Jamie Walker was different. He believed it, alright. Because from the moment he arrived at Valley Parade, he knew the size and potential of the club. He’d experienced it before at Hearts.
Rather than be overawed by Hughes’ appointment, he revelled in it. And now, he’s thriving under the legendary Welshman. Bradford face Carlisle in the first-leg of their play-off semi-final with Wembley and promotion in their sights.
Walker will be a key figure for the Bantams. He has been all season under Hughes, who has been charged with taking them back to where the club’s supporters feel they belong. The Scot is loving life in Yorkshire because it reminds him of being in Gorgie.
Big club, big expectations, big-name boss. Walker is used to that kind of pressure and Hughes certainly is. Together, they might just be able to give Bradford the kind of success their supporters crave. In an exclusive interview with MailSport , the ex-Hearts star said: “I remember when the gaffer got the job. We had a lot of boys at that time who hadn’t really played at a higher level.
“The changing room is upstairs and there’s a small window in it. Derek Adams had been sacked a few days previously and we were called to a meeting there. We were all talking about who the new manager might be. We thought it was Steve Evans.
“Boys who were used to playing at that level had a notion of what Bradford would be looking for. But they were looking out that window and saw Hughes walk in. They were asking: ‘Is he an agent now’? They thought he was bringing someone in.
“But he came upstairs and it was announced he was gaffer. The boys were taken aback. He’s worked with the likes of Gareth Bale, Ryan Giggs and Robinho and others. And he played for Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea. It’s unbelievable.
“Sometimes managers have to earn the respect of players because you’re not usually a big name at this level. But with him, straight away, he had the respect of everyone. We all got up off our chairs and listened to what he had to say. I’ve never seen a manager go to so many away grounds and get asked for photos and autographs by fans of the opposition. He’s massive in the game.”
Under Hughes, Walker is beginning to flourish again. As a young player at Hearts, he excelled before earning a move to Wigan Athletic in 2018. A lack of game time with the Latics meant he was sent on loan to Peterborough. For a spell, it was unclear what direction Walker’s career was going in.
He returned to Tynecastle for three years but injuries, Covid – and the pressure to reproduce his previous form – had a major impact. Eventually, a loan move to Bradford was made permanent last year. And now, with his confidence restored and his game modified, Walker is in a good place again.
He said: “There are so many similarities to Hearts here. But what I don’t have is that thing of being a Bradford fan. That was the difference at Hearts. There was always pressure on me. I’m used to expectation. But when I lose a game here, I don’t come home and get loads of people contacting me who are Bradford fans.
“Back home, if we lost to Hibs, Celtic or Rangers, I’d have people on me saying: ‘F**k me, what happened’? Sometimes as a player you just want to switch off, especially when you’ve got a family at home.
“Being a local boy and a Hearts fan, it was tough. Sometimes you can be a victim of your own success and I felt that when I went back to Hearts. People expected a lot and I probably didn’t really hit that standard I’d set previously.
“That’s what I was always compared to. My record actually wasn’t that bad the second time round but people expected more because of what I’d achieved before. It’s weird because if someone from Hearts came to one of our games, they’d probably say I play differently here.
“The Bradford fans have taken to me for working hard and putting pressure on other teams. It is a bit like when it’s Hearts v Hibs and a player puts in a good tackle, it gets fans off their seat.
“I wasn’t renowned for that stuff before but I’m older now. The gaffer here likes that side of my game. Obviously supporters love you for scoring – but they appreciate me for other stuff. I’ve said to a few of the boys here, they wouldn’t believe how I played at Hearts. Starting wide and drifting in from the left. Maybe I didn’t work as hard back then and I just relied on moments of quality. But I’m a different player now and it’s probably down to the manager.”
Walker has found contentment on and off the pitch at Bradford, which is something he’d lost for a while. His family feels at home there. He feels trusted and valued by a high-profile manager. And he’s determined to get them back up the leagues.
He said: “When a manager likes you and plays you, it’s so important. At Wigan, I didn’t have that. So straight away it’s not a good start. When you’re playing well it makes everything off the pitch a lot easier. This is as happy and content as I’ve been in my career since my first spell at Hearts.
“And a big part of me coming here was to try and put a smile back on my face again. I feel as if the football I’m playing now is up there with when I was at Hearts. Most weeks now, I know I’ll play a part in the game. Sometimes you take things like happiness and confidence for granted in life.
“What happens off the pitch can contribute to how you perform on it. It goes hand in hand. The gaffer appreciates me as a player. That has given me confidence to grow here and I’m really looking forward to the play-offs now.”
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