Bantams Keen On Graham

With David Graham's six-month loan deal with Bradford City nearing its half-way stage, Vital Sheffield Wednesday took a look at the strikers progress - and heard from the City fans.

The former Wigan Athletic and Torquay United hitman was loaned out to Valley Parade at the start of the current campaign despite a striker shortage at Hillsborough - prompting Owls fans to question Paul Sturrock's rating of Graham.

Graham had only just returned from a loan spell with West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town after helping them to the League One play-offs - and many Town and Wednesday fans alike had expected him to stay at the Galpharm on a permanent basis.

And that expecatation is likely to remain once the striker's loan deal at Bradford comes to an end in January.

The hitman has already impressed the Valley Parade faithful by netting three goals in nine appearances since his move in the summer and has formed a strong partnership alongside Dean Windass in attack.

Vital Sheffield Wednesday ventured on to the Bradford City Message Board to see what the City fans thought of the Wednesday loanee...

1. How's Graham doing since his loan move to you?

Tyneside BCFC: He's being doing ok. Todd obviously wanted more out of him then he was getting but has decided to give him the starting place for a run of games in the past few weeks which all strikers need. Jury is still out.

Bantam Jay: He's had his ups and downs but the last 3/4 games he's done really well and has forged a good partnership with Windass.

2. What have been his strengths and weaknesses?

Tyneside BCFC: Strengths - Obvious eye for goal, taking the goals he has scored well and is an experianced lower division centre forward. Weaknesses - Gives the ball away cheaply on occasions and does seem to let his head drop from time to time. Very much a confidence player.

Bantam Jay: I've been impressed with his link up play. He seems like a poacher aswell who could get a few goals. His weakness is that he seems a bit lazy at times.

3. And his highs and lows while with you?

Tyneside BCFC: Highs - Goals against Bristol City, Vale and Cheltenham (unlucky when he twatted the post at Cheltenham as well). Lows - Struggles to last 90 minutes and does have the crowd on his back a bit when he gives the ball away.

Bantam Jay: All three of his goals against Bristol City, Cheltenham and Port Vale have obviously been his high points.
He's not really had a low point of such. We'll have to wait and see.

4. Would you want to make the move permanent. Reasons?

Tyneside BCFC: Personally speaking yes. We have had a great start and we are scoring plenty of goals. I like Graham and i think he will end up scoring alot of goals for us. The problem any striker has at City is that they are in the shadow of the Dean Windass who will always score goals for fun at this level.

Bantam Jay: Definately. He's a goalscorer and I think he could get 15/20 goals a season. Add that to Deano's 20+ goals we'd be contenders for promotion.

5. Do you think Colin Todd wants to keep him?

Tyneside BCFC: I'm certain he wants to keep the whole squad together including Graham at least for the season. Why change a winning team?

Bantam Jay: I would of thought so. He'll want to keep him on loan until the end of the season but I doubt we'd be able to afford him on a permanent basis.

So it looks as though the City fans favour a move to keep Graham at the club longer than his current six month deal - but would the Owls let him go?

Owls boss Paul Sturrock currently has probably his best selection of strikers since coming to Hillsborough. Talbot, Corr and Maclean all seem to be fit (touch wood) while Deon Burton and Marcus Tudgay are also just about fully fit after returning from injury.

But the goals aren't coming. Would Graham be the answer to all our problems? He wasn't last season, but then again people said he didn't have a decent enough run in the team to show us what he can do.

Only time will tell, and who knows - maybe Colin Todd's men will be taking the Owls place in the Championship next season. We all know what a bad start Wednesday have made, and Bradford are currently flying-high in third place in League One...

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