WHEN Karl Harrison last worked at Bradford 12 years ago, the Bulls were in the midst of a golden era.

They famously reached five consecutive Grand Finals under Brian Noble (Super League’s most successful coach) and Harrison served as his assistant between 2000 and 2002.

The experience set up Harrison, a Drighlington lad who supported Bradford Northern in his formative years, for the rest of his coaching career.

“It was a pleasure to work here and I will never forget those days because they were unreal,” said Harrison.

“I was head coach at Keighley at the time and had a great season there.

“Matty Elliott had just left and Brian Noble phoned me and said ‘can I meet you?’ and I said ‘yes, no problem’ so I left Keighley to become assistant to Nobby.

“It was the best thing that ever happened to me from a coaching perspective – it was an outstanding opportunity.

“We had the best players in the world, all at the peak of their fitness and playing potential.

“Henry Paul was killing it, we had Jimmy (Lowes), Robbie (Hunter-Paul), Joe Vagana… we had the best team in the world.

“We got some big crowds down at Valley Parade and Odsal was our training ground, so things have changed in the 12 years since I was last here.”

Instead of competing in Grand Finals and World Club Challenges, the Bulls are preparing for their first campaign outside of the top flight in 41 years.

When Jimmy Lowes turned to Harrison to assist him, it was easy to see why.

The 50-year-old has a proven track record in Super League, where he guided Salford into the play-offs on a shoestring budget, and the Championship in particular.

“I’ve coached in the Championship for the last five-and-a-half years and I think that’s one of the reasons Jimmy has got me here,” said Harrison.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and have been relatively successful wherever I have been.

“With Halifax I finished second, third and third and with Batley in my second season we finished third and in the first year we won the Northern Rail Cup.

“Batley hadn’t been in a cup final for years but we were good enough to beat Widnes on the day in Blackpool and that was amazing. It was one of the best days of my coaching career.

“We finished fifth and got Salford in the play-offs with the lowest salary cap spend in Super League.

“Unfortunately we got knocked out of the play-offs by Bradford but it was a good achievement.

“Could I have returned to Super League after Salford? Possibly.

“There were a couple of opportunities which didn’t quite work out, for whatever reason.

“Having since worked at Batley for two years and at Halifax for three years, I know the Championship and what is expected. I just think we need to grab it this year and get back up there.”

Harrison’s recent appointment completed Lowes’ coaching team and gave it a formidable look, as well as marking a role reversal between the long-standing friends.

Harrison, who had been assisted by Lowes at Salford, will now be the one doing the assisting.

He said: “I’ve known Jimmy since I was a player and he was at Hunslet but I only really got close to him when I joined the Bradford coaching staff and he was a player here.

“I don’t think we saw eye to eye at first but the relationship grew and Jimmy ended up leaving Bradford to join me at Salford.

“Jimmy went on to Warrington and back to Leeds and now it’s gone full circle.

“I have no qualms with being his assistant because I want to get back into coaching.

“Jimmy is an outstanding front-man and an outstanding coach as the flag-bearer for this club.”

Harrison left Halifax shortly before the end of the 2014 season and with his contract due to expire.

All his energies are now focused on returning the Bulls to Super League at the first attempt.

He says: “When I got sacked by Salford I set up my own business but I sold that in January of this year so I am fully focused on being the best full-time coach I possibly can.

“It’s a big squad with some big lads but it needs to be mobile too as well as being smart.

“We need to be smarter than the other teams and prepare better, but Jimmy is a hard taskmaster.

“He expects things to be done in a certain way but he also sets challenges to players which they need to buy into and learn from pretty quickly otherwise Jimmy will come down hard on them.”

Like Lowes, Harrison has a reputation as an uncompromising hard man which stems from his playing days but the fanatical Leeds United supporter is a thoroughly engaging character.

Harrison added with a huge smile: “Some people actually get the wrong impression of what we are like because of our exterior.

“Jimmy’s very intense and he knows exactly what he wants. Moreover, he knows exactly how to get there and the standards we need to reach to achieve that.

“He’s also very fair as well as being very shrewd. He takes advice on board and sometimes, as coaches, what we say in public is not what we’re like behind the scenes!”

Although the Bulls have suffered a painful fall from grace since Harrison’s previous spell, he declared: “There is a lot of hard work that needs to be done but the glory days can be rekindled here.

“You walk around the offices at the club now and you can feel a buzz growing.

“It’s a Super League set-up and that’s what we need to create.

“We’ve just not got to compete; we’ve got to be beat and be better than all of them.”