EFL League One side Bradford City confirmed the loan signing of centre back Tom McIntyre on Monday night, which was the summer transfer window’s final day.
This comes following an exclusive report by Dan Marsh that Bradford City had agreed a deal to sign Tom McIntyre on loan from Portsmouth. The 26-year-old defender had also been subject to interest from other League One clubs over the summer.
The signing also follows the 26 year old’s loan spell at Charlton Athletic in the 2024/25 campaign. Now it is considered that the signing of the Portsmouth man will most likely see him compete to play in a starting role.
Therefore, here are a couple of things that both Bradford City fans and EFL fans in general should expect from McIntyre.
Strength And Depth For Bradford City
As stated in a previous article by The Lower Tiers, the Bantams were struggling with issues regarding depth in the backline, with the Valley Parade outfit having injury blows to former Blackpool man Matt Pennington and Irishman Neill Byrne.
The latter had suffered a knee injury in pre season, which had side-lined him for at least two months at the time of the injury.
Especially with the most recent injury to Matt Pennington, and with manager Graham Alexander unsure on his return date, Bradford City needed to strengthen in the defensive areas, especially considering their a formation which includes a back three. Their injuries have currently only left them with four defenders.
Overall, McIntyre will be a brilliant option for Alexander as he suits the style of play and adds depth to the squad, which is important for the Bantams to keep on their unbeaten run, which they are currently on at the time of writing this article.
A Wealth Of Experience
Throughout the Scotsman’s career, we can see that the centre back has a wealth of experience, which you can see in his gameplay.
During his time on loan at Charlton Athletic last season, he was only able to contribute to 10 games after making the move in the mid-season transfer window.
However, he was part of a side of winners which Graham Alexander wants as he saw last season a winning mentality proved to be successful with the Bantams being promoted to League One.
The Reading academy graduate was still a part of the dressing room with Charlton Athletic last season as they were promoted to the EFL Championship following their win against Leyton Orient in the playoff final. This shows that he knows what it takes to be successful in League One.
As well as this, the defender has been part of another team that has been successful in being promoted to League One, with him being part of Portsmouth’s League One winning campaign in the 23/24 season.
Additionally, McIntyre will bring EFL Championship experience to the Bantams, with him growing into Reading’s first team during his spell at making over 100 appearances.
As well as this, he will bring more Championship experience with him as he made 12 appearances in the league for Portsmouth in the 2024/25 campaign before his loan move to Charlton Athletic.
Furthermore, McIntyre is arguably a great addition for Bradford City as they are looking to be competitive and are looking to consolidate in League One following their last-gasp promotion on the last day of the 2024/25 season.
A Good Signing?
The signing of Tom McIntyre is, on the surface of brilliant and holds lots of potential.
He brings good experience, solidity at the back, and most importantly, depth to Graham Alexander’s Bantams.
However, with him playing limited minutes at Charlton and Portsmouth last season, could his impact be limited? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
