Why Bradford City's Alex Gilliead is the unsung hero of the League Two club's key north-east contingent

Their top-scorer for the last four seasons in Andy Cook is from Bishop Auckland.

The player who cleaned up at the club’s end-of-season awards night in 23-24 after earning a place in the EFL League Two Team of the Season in Brad Halliday is from Redcar, as is their captain in Richie Smallwood.

Their main source of midfield goals, when fit, is Alex Pattison, who was born in Darlington.

And then there’s Alex Gilliead, who hails from County Durham, like Pattison and Cook. He may not be as garlanded as the aforesaid quartet, but is a quintessential players’ professional.

The sort whose value is perhaps only truly recognised when he doesn’t play and someone who has the full respect of managerial staff and the dressing room.

A bit like the Bantams player who he looked up to when he first came to the club on loan in 2016-17 in Tony McMahon, another north-easterner by chance.

Gilliead, who made his 200th City appearance in March and is turning his attentions to a sixth full season at the club, said: “The characters back then were probably Tony McMahon, Killer (Matt Kilgallon) and Doyler (Colin Doyle).

"They were the big characters in the changing room. When I was living at home, back in Consett where I am from, Tony Mac used to live in Bishop Auckland, so I used to drive in with him some days.

"He was a good lad. You take experiences and what things they like and they were all good pros. Taking little bits from people throughout your career helps you add it to yours and take it from there.”

On City’s current north-east brigade, he continued: “We have been here a long time. Andy has been here for a similar time to me - a bit longer as he came on loan.

"You’ve got Brad and Richie who have been here for two years and then Kav (Calum Kavanagh - ex-Middlesbrough) has joined and has started to travel in with us as well. We’ve kind of been through a lot.”

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An adaptable player can do a job as a number six, number eight or number ten, Gilliead can also operate as a wing-back. The phrase managers dream is what you are looking for.

Graham Alexander clearly rates him as did his predecessor Mark Hughes.

It was no surprise when Alexander turned to Gilliead to captain the side when Smallwood was unavailable for the Papa John’s Trophy game with Doncaster Rovers in January.

He’d previously been bestowed that honour by Hughes and has also captained another of his previous sides in Scunthorpe United.

The 28-year-old continued: “He (Alexander) pulled us in just before the Doncaster game in the cup. We just had a general chat and talked about football and just as I was leaving to stand up, he said: ‘You’ll be captain tomorrow.’ And obviously, I had a big smile on my face and said: ‘That will be sound.’

"Last year, I did it under Mark Hughes for the Mansfield game, which was my first time, which I was buzzing to do as well. I will help out and always be available to do that. Richie’s obviously the captain now and I will always back Richie up, he’s a good mate of mine.

"But I will always be there if I am needed to do it.”

In modern-day football, the sight of players clocking up 200-plus appearances for a club is not as prevalent as it used to be.

Gilliead has earned the right to be called a City stalwart. It would mean the world to him if he is part of a real tangible success story at the club, although he’s not really one for mementos. It sums up his under-the-radar approach in truth.

He said: “ If I can keep getting a shirt, home and away, from every club or season I have been at a club, it will be good enough for me and I can show my little lad I have played here and tried to play football here!

"I have got a few shirts from lads that I have played against and was in the academy with at Newcastle. Adam Armstrong and Dan Barlaser; I got his shirt when we played against Middlesbrough in the cup last season and a few others. Other than that, I don’t really collect shirts.

"At Carlisle, we played at Anfield and I played against the likes of Coutinho and people like that and it wasn’t something I really wanted to do (get a shirt). I don’t look back and regret it or anything; I just wasn’t like that.

"Bradford has a big place in my heart and I enjoy being here and I have enjoyed it since the minute I walked in.

"I’ve played under a lot of managers and always kind of stayed in the team and played so that’s obviously good.

"With the people I have met here, I have got a lot of friends now, like staff who work here. No matter where I go, I think I will always look out for their results and want them to do well.”