Bobby Pointon is not affected by Bradford City spotlight

It has become a fan anthem whenever the number 23 is in the City side; the Kop season-ticket holder scoring ‘worldy’ goals and living the dream for thousands who bleed claret and amber.

Pointon ramped it up even more with the stunning strike that opened the scoring in the latest victory at Barrow in midweek.

From a move refined off the training ground just the day before, he anticipated the lack of closing down as the home side only half dealt with the corner.

📺 EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | A longer look at Tuesday night's dramatic victory, as Bobby Pointon's brilliant strike set us on our way to another vital three points. #BCAFC | Peckover Transport

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A touch to steady and then a left-foot lash and “one of our own” had bagged another one for the club that is very much his own.

Twenty-four hours later, Pointon was on stage in the Cedar Court Hotel to accept the prize for best goal at City’s awards ceremony – his Good Friday belter against Tranmere topping the poll by a mile.

The spotlight glares ever brighter on the young talent from Low Moor.

In a club where expectations are forever high, the demands and hopes for the local lad made good seem on another level.

But Pointon’s feet remain firmly grounded. He won’t let the Valley Parade fervour get to him.

“I never let the pressure get to me,” said the 20-year-old. “I don’t think about it and get on with my game and just enjoy my football.

“Thinking about pressure and anything like that won’t help. I ignore all that side of it.

“I think I’ve done well this season and the fans are on board with that. I can’t let it get to my head and have got to stay humble.”

Pointon has featured in every game of the current unbeaten run after coming off the bench at Harrogate. His start against Tranmere on Good Friday was his first since mid-January as the clamour in the stands grew for his return.

Boss Graham Alexander said: "Bobby didn't have many opportunities before - I was using other players more, established players and they played their part but certainly after that four-game (losing) run I had to open the door to people who hadn't had opportunities.

"Bobby's been the main success story from that.

"We always knew his energy and enthusiasm, his ability on the ball, it was just that he was a young player who didn't have loads of experience.

"I didn't know him as much as the other guys.

"He's played in a position that's not probably his natural position. I wouldn't have thought he'd have described himself as an attacking eight from midfield but he's really taken on the tactical side of it, he gives us the energy and the attacking threat we need from there.”

Bobby Pointon is submerged after his stunner against Tranmere (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Pointon admitted that there were some heated words flying around in the dressing room after that Harrogate low point.

“The mood was down and everyone was annoyed at each other. It’s natural when you’re losing games.

“The emotions are high and people sometimes argue, saying players should have done this or that.

“Then obviously it gets forgotten about and we were back fine on the Monday in training.

“But sometimes it’s got to happen and can improve players. If they’re being told about doing something wrong, they won’t do it again.

“When I came back in, I just tried to be busy and get the energy in the team. Fresh legs helped at the time.”

At that stage, nobody would have anticipated the extent of how City’s fortunes would change as they head into this afternoon’s final game against Newport still with an outside chance of gate-crashing the play-offs.

Pointon sensed the shift in ambitions following the comeback win at Salford.

“We were all looking at the table afterwards and realised, ‘we’re not far off here’.

“We needed a few results to go our way and they did so it’s all down to the last day now – hopefully we can go and do it.

“There were parts of the season when we were thinking that it wasn’t happening for us. But we’re obviously on a good run at the minute and we’re right back in it.”

City have been doing it the hard way, fighting back to beat Salford, coming from two down at Walsall last weekend and then snatching a late winner from substitute Tyler Smith after being pegged back by Barrow.

Pointon added: “It shows the belief we’ve got now. Earlier in the season, if we went down that was it.

“Our reactions are miles better and there’s a feeling throughout the team that we can score again.

Bobby Pointon is all smiles after shooting City ahead at Barrow (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“It’s even better that everyone’s mucking in and doing their job. Tyler’s come on and his job was to score and he did that.”

A fifth win on the bounce today will still not be enough to book that play-off shot at MK Dons unless results at Barrow and Crawley fall in their favour.

Pointon has no problem with switching off from the goings-on elsewhere.

“I think it should be easy. We’ve just got to focus on ourselves and get the three points and let the rest deal with itself.

“If we do finish short, we’ve got to use this run as momentum to take into next season and hopefully we can have a strong start.”

However today pans out, it’s safe to say the expectations on Pointon next time around will be even bigger than before.

“Yeah it probably will,” he smiled. “But then again, it 100 per cent won’t affect me.

“I could have 100,000 people shouting my name and I’ll just go out and enjoy my football. That’s all I’m here to do.”