At first glance, Stephen Humphrys might appear to be a traditional target man due to his physical presence, but the new Bradford City signing brings much more to the table.
His former manager at Barnsley, Conor Hourihane, quickly picked up on this. After taking charge in the spring, Hourihane shifted Humphrys into a wide attacking role, seeing him more as a dynamic forward than a typical number nine. He described Humphrys as a skilful dribbler with real flair—someone who could bring an ‘X-Factor’ to the team.
The tactical change paid off, sparking a strong finish to the season for the Lancashire-born forward. Bradford boss Graham Alexander shares a similar vision for Humphrys’ role.
Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, Humphrys explained:
“One of the key things the manager made clear was that he doesn’t see me as a target man. He wants someone who drops off the line, links play, and makes runs in behind.
“We’ve got some talented number 10s who will push forward, which gives me room to operate. As a striker here, I’ll have more chances to get on the ball, dribble, and create opportunities—unlike last season, when I was more of a focal point.
“I made it known I didn’t want to be used in that old role, and he reassured me that’s not what I was brought in for. He wants me to link up play and make box runs. Once we cleared that up, it was an easy decision—‘Where do I sign?’
“This is a team I really want to be part of. I want to drive momentum and be a key player. I’ve never been shy about wanting to lead the line and be a regular starter. This move just feels right—it ticks a lot of boxes.”
Humphrys also opened up about leaving Barnsley after his contract ended in June. The former Wigan and Hearts striker, who joined Barnsley late in the previous summer window, netted nine goals during the 2024–25 campaign, including five in the final five games of what was an inconsistent season.
The 27-year-old has now committed to a two-year deal with Bradford. He reflected on his exit:
“In the first week after the season ended, Conor called to say he really wanted me to stay and saw me playing a big role next season, especially on the left wing. He said a contract offer would be coming my way.
“Because of our relationship, I kept things direct and didn’t go through agents. But I didn’t receive anything official until close to pre-season.
“When I followed up, Conor said they’d heard about other offers I’d had and weren’t sure they could compete. I still asked them to send something, because I genuinely wanted to stay. But when the offer came through, he was right—they couldn’t match it.
“I called to thank him and said I wished we could’ve continued working together because I felt I played my best football in his system. We parted ways on good terms. He understood—it’s a short career and you’ve got to make the most of it.”
Humphrys is one of several new arrivals at Bradford City. Fellow forward Will Swan has joined from Crawley Town, while wing-backs Ibou Touray and Josh Neufville arrive from Stockport County and AFC Wimbledon. Veteran midfielder Max Power also joins the squad, alongside defenders Matthew Pennington (formerly of Leeds and Hull), Curtis Tilt (ex-Rotherham), and Joe Wright (formerly of Doncaster and Huddersfield).
Leave a Reply