ASHLEY Drury can vouch for the old pals’ act that will help to spearhead Bradford City next season.

As the wife of new assistant coach Martin Drury, she knows better than anyone how close he is with boss Michael Collins and how often they talk.

“She will say we probably bounce off each other a little bit too much,” laughed Drury, the older of the 32-year-old coaching duo by three weeks.

“We are our own people but spend a lot of time with each other and are always speaking.

“He’s one of the best friends I’ve got; he’s a very close friend as well as a colleague.

“We’ve built up a very good relationship over the last couple of years. The mutual respect between us makes it very easy to work with each other.

“Do we argue? Absolutely. We have differences of opinions.

“Sometimes we go our separate ways and then come back together. It’s all done with a respect and an understanding.

“But I couldn’t think of anyone better to be working with than Michael to make something successful.”

Drury sought family approval before accepting the rapid rise from the lead youth player development post he had been working in since joining the Bantams in 2016.

While he had no doubts personally, he wanted to ensure Ashley and their three young children were all on board with the major change in position.

He said: “I don’t want to come across too relaxed but I do feel very at ease with it all.

“The people it’s going to affect the most are probably my family.

“They were the first people I spoke to because I wanted to make sure they were at ease with it all and were happy for me to go ahead.

“They know I’m ambitious and can’t wait to get going but I wanted their full backing.”

After a playing career ended at 28 by a serious knee injury, Drury has shared Collins’ hunger to climb up the coaching ladder.

An 11-month managerial stint with Park Avenue and a spell with Boston preceded the chance to join the City academy staff.

He was promoted to lead development coach a month ago – a role that is likely to be amalgamated into his position in the three-pronged management team unveiled by Edin Rahic last week.

Drury added: “Predominantly I’ll be working with Michael with the first team but I’ll still be responsible for making sure that these players on the fringe and the younger ones are managed correctly and their development plan is at the highest level.

“It appears that it’s a massive step-up for me but I’ve been coaching at the club for two-and-a-half years now and worked with young pros already within the building.

“As Michael said, we have also built up relationships with some of the players in the first team over the past 12 months.

“I’m very passionate about development and always looking to make people better, whether that’s 18 or 19-year-olds or those who are 31 or 32.

“Of course, you have got to deal with people in the right way and senior pros will react in different ways to a 17-year-old that you’re coaching. We are aware of that.

“But it’s always been my ambition to coach at senior level anyway.

“I’ve gone through a process of trying to learn the ropes. I started a little bit younger down the order but it’s something I’m really excited about.”

Drury’s own Twitter feed is well populated with coaching clips of Pep Guardiola’s influence on Manchester City but his admiration is not limited to the all-conquering Spaniard.

“Any coach in the country right now would have to say that you look at the most successful ones around the world and see what they are doing.

“But at the same time, I’ve had to look at League One, League Two and Championship level and see what has made those teams successful, particularly the clubs that weren’t favourites.

“Look at the likes of Huddersfield getting promoted to the Premier League.

“Did they have the biggest budget? No. Did they get the culture right, the right personnel in, did the fans get behind them and create that togetherness? Absolutely.

“I’ve got an admiration for a wide range of managers and coaches across the world as anyone will say.

“It’s about learning as much as you can from each different one and adding it to my and Michael’s beliefs and obviously Greg (Abbott) and Edin’s and making sure we get the blend right.”