JAMES Hanson reckons Phil Parkinson should be entitled to some of the plaudits if City go up this season.

If selected, Saturday’s game at Bolton will be only the second time Hanson has started a game against a former manager in seven years as a pro.

And while there has been mixed debate among fans about how Parkinson should be acknowledged, Hanson is in absolutely no doubt.

He said: “You can see both sides of it. But having played under him, he did a massive amount for me as a player and really brought me on.

“He did wonders for the club if you look at the players we had when he started to when he left. We’re in a much better place.

“If we were to get promoted this year, then I still feel Phil Parkinson deserves a lot of credit for what he’s done in the past four or five years.

“Stuart McCall tried his best before to get us up but it probably just needed someone like Phil with his style and getting in the players he wanted.

“To be honest, we were unlucky not to get promoted last season as well. He could still be here if we were in the Championship.

“But obviously we’ve moved on and so has he and it’s nice to see he’s doing well at Bolton.

“I don’t know why he left, he had his own reasons, but you can’t go against anything he has done for Bradford City. He deserves a great reception from the fans.”

Not that Hanson can expect any favours from his former boss when he lines up against his Wanderers side.

Parkinson was a fierce defender of the big man during his time at Valley Parade and felt he was often treated harshly by officials. But Hanson knows that will change this weekend.

“Phil’s probably going to be telling their lads to go down if there are any elbows or things like that,” he added. “I’ve got to be cute about it.

“He’s always on at the fourth official because that’s just what he is like. He literally kicks every ball on the sidelines.

“It will be weird seeing him because it’s not really happened to me before playing against an old manager.

“But obviously we’ll know what to expect from his side and how they want to play.

“It will be an interesting test and all his former players will be wanting to impress and show him he shouldn’t have left.”

Hanson is chasing his first goal in the post-Parkinson era after returning to the starting line-up against Bristol Rovers following a month’s absence.

But he is confident that he can fit in with the switch to a more passing style that McCall has implemented this season.

Some fans have already expressed doubts but Hanson said: “It’s only a question I can answer and I don’t see why not.

“Every manager has different systems and Stuart McCall wants the team playing attractive football that’s good on the eye.

“I think even in the first two or three games I played, we mixed it up really well.

“Maybe when I got injured they had to change and pass it more. But with me being in the team, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use that (long) ball now and again.

“It offers a different dimension if things aren’t working by playing the other way.

“We’re playing good football and creating a lot of chances. We are probably right up there with the most shots on goal, which obviously every striker wants.”