Video summary
George Pratt expressed immense satisfaction with his team's performance in their recent match against Mansfield, highlighting the significance of securing a clean sheet at home after two previous losses. He noted that the atmosphere was particularly special given Bradford City's status as a local club, which naturally drew a loud and enthusiastic crowd from family and friends. The presence of fellow local players like Bobby and Harry helped him gel quickly with the squad, making the transition smooth and the environment supportive as they aimed to bounce back strongly from their earlier setbacks.
The match held extra emotional weight for Pratt because Bradford is located just ten minutes from his home in Rose, allowing him to bring a significant portion of his family and friends to the stadium. Although he admitted feeling some nervousness or "butterflies" before the game due to the high stakes and the sell-out crowd, he found these feelings positive rather than daunting. He mentioned that he had been following the club's results while playing for Blackburn because his mates are fans, but today was a unique opportunity to be part of the action in his hometown, which made the experience even more memorable.
Despite Mansfield fielding talented attackers like David McGoldrick and Michael Smith in the second half, Pratt's team managed to hold their ground and secure a 1-0 victory. He acknowledged that they could have scored more goals given their strong first-half performance but felt proud of the defensive resilience shown throughout the match. The late decision to field him only two hours before kickoff meant he had less time to prepare mentally, yet he adapted well to the pressure and enjoyed the confidence boost from keeping a clean sheet against a challenging opponent.
Looking ahead, Pratt confirmed that he is available for selection in the upcoming cup tie, expressing his desire to play in every game as the team strives to progress to the fourth round. He emphasized that Bradford has a strong tradition of performing well in cup competitions and that this season is no different. The experience of playing at Valley Parade filled him with confidence, especially with teammates providing guidance during the match, and he looks forward to continuing this momentum in future fixtures.
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Well, George must be delighted with how
things went on your day today.
>> Yeah, buzzing, especially from a from a
team a team standpoint to get a clean
sheet and bounce back from from two
losses and for it to be at home made it
extra special. and and fact you're
coming in as you say into a team that
had lost to. So it did sort of crank the
spotlight up a little bit, didn't it?
>> Yeah. Yeah. But it's one of those I just
just try to keep my head in the game.
All the lads homeed in and wanting to
bounce back as quick as possible. So I'm
glad we did it today.
>> And and and for yourself obviously, you
know, you you played championship games,
but did today have a little few little
butterflies because because of what club
it is?
>> Yeah, of course. Bradford's obviously
close to my close to my hearts being
from from Bradford and 5 10 minutes away
from the ground. It makes it that little
bit extra special and all my mates are
in the crowd and a lot of my family can
come watch. So So yeah, obviously you
get those butterflies before the game
and there's a lot of fans nearly a
sellout today and and they're really
loud. So So yeah, obviously you get
those butterflies which are nice.
>> How many family and friends did you
have?
[laughter]
>> Definitely 10. All in. Probably all in
today. So, I mean that that's nice,
isn't it? You got your own sort of
little army there. I mean, you know, and
the fact that you're not the only local
player, you know, you obviously got
Bobby, you got Kaden here. I mean,
that's that must be quite nice.
>> Yeah, of course. Like one of the first
days I came in, Harry as well who I
played with at Charlie to to have Bobby
and Harry who you already half know cuz
the local lads, it's nice, you know,
it's easy to gel in with the lads when
you know a couple a couple of young lads
already. And proper telegraph analogous
question. Whereabouts in Bradford you
from?
>> Rose.
>> All right. [snorts]
Someone said Facley. So yeah, close up.
>> No. Yeah. I used to play for Fley when I
was younger. When I was younger, but uh
yeah, I'm from Rose behind the co-op.
[laughter]
>> So So when when obviously when you first
heard of Bradford's interest, I mean the
fact that you know it was City coming in
and sort of did that sort of make it a
bit extra special rather than just a
loan offer because of who it was? Yeah,
I think when when my agent called me and
told me, I told him straight away that I
wanted I wanted to home in on this one
and really focus on this one and
hopefully get it done. So, yeah, I think
when when Bradford came calling, there
was only ever one one place I'd go.
>> Have you kept an eye on the club's
results, you know, when you've been
playing for Blackburn and that?
>> Yeah. Yeah, I do. I do actually.
Obviously, cuz me mate me mates are fans
and and me family come every every now
and again. It's something that I've I've
got it favored on me mob, you know, so
when uh you can see the see your
favorite team. So yeah, I always keep an
eye.
>> Yeah. And and today as you as you say,
you mean performance-wise, you know,
such a good performance first half,
particularly attacking wise and to go in
at halftime only 1 nil. I think everyone
was a little bit scratching their head
of why why you weren't sort of out of
sight almost.
>> Yeah, of course. I think I think we know
we could have could have scored a few
more cuz of how well we played in in the
first half, but to go to go in at 1 nil
and and to finish the game at 1 nil and
we all dug dug in from attack to
defense, it it felt good at the end.
>> Say that cliche must have felt nice.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Especially when the ball
went out of play when under the cooch a
little bit and and the whistle went. It
was nice
>> because you you look at Manfield's team,
they got a lot of attacking talent
there. You get someone like David
McGoldri coming on second half and you
know Michael Smith who's a you know bit
of a unit in the you know there's some
you knew you were going to be under it a
little bit.
>> Yeah of course of course we knew we'd be
under the caution when they're bringing
on high quality players but we backed
oursel and and worked hard and and dug
it out
>> and obviously now you got cup tie coming
up this week.
>> You are clear to play aren't you? Yeah.
Yeah.
>> Manager was sort of checking. He said,
"I'm not sure on all the lone players,
but yeah."
>> Yeah.
>> I mean, would that, you know, get be
involved in that chance to, you know,
pos potentially get into the fourth
round of the cup?
>> Yeah, of course. I I want to play every
game and the lads want to win every
game. So, and it's a big striving force
for for Bradford to to do well in cup
competitions like like they always have.
And this year is no different.
>> When did you sort of know you were
playing, George? this
>> uh 2 hours before kickoff. 2 and a half
hours before kickoff maybe.
>> Pretty late. We get told on the day.
>> Yeah, I was going to say if you'd you
know if you might have been told day
before you might have had trouble
sleeping that sort of thing really cuz
it's a big day. [laughter]
>> Yeah, I know a few butterflies and maybe
a few more people would have come as
well if I if I' had known before. But
yeah.
>> Yeah. What are your memories of Valley
Parade before today then? I mean this is
this is great for you today but have you
sort [clears throat] of come and
watching the the cup ties here in the
past that sort of thing?
>> Yeah. I can't I can't really remember
the the exact games I'd come to. There
was there were quite a few. Not really
the the bigger games. I think obviously
they sold out quick, but on the odd
Tuesday night and Saturday when me said
come I'd pop over. Yeah.
>> Yeah. I suppose as a defender those
today is the sort of games you you sort
of enjoy really weren't I mean it was on
on the line a bit second half and you
had to they tested you and you got you
know you got over the line in the end.
Yeah, of course. It fills you with
confidence, especially with the lads
around me, you know, giving me little
pointers during the game and and helping
me. It was nice to get the clean sheet.