T&A Soccer Reporter David Markham asks whether signing Stan Collymore would be good for Bradford City

SUPPORTERS' leaders are divided about the wisdom of Bradford City's efforts to sign Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore.

Simon Settle, secretary of the Wharfedale and Airedale Supporters branch, insisted: "We should not touch him with a barge pole.

"I have severe doubts, not particularly about his capabilities as a footballer, but how his presence will affect what looks like a good team spirit we have at Valley Parade.

"Collymore has proved himself as a footballer but I am not sure whether he is mentally stable. I have doubts about the way he conducts himself off the pitch."

City Gent contributor John Dewhirst was also cautious.

He said: "It brings into question the club's wages policy which has always been sensible. I would hope we don't have a highly paid mercenary coming to the club because it would beg the question how much he wanted to get out of it rather than what he would put in.

"The other question is how his hunger to revive a career is matched with our need for survival."

But Michael Stainthorpe, chairman of the disabled supporters branch, broadly supported the move.

He said: "If he joins the club and scores goals everyone will be happy. If he played to the best of his ability there wouldn't be problems, but he obviously has an attitude problem."

City need more power and guile in attack and, above all, more goals if they are to survive in the Premiership.

At his best Collymore can provide all these ingredients.

His many off-the-field problems have obscured the fact that the 29-year-old is one of the top strikers in the country and would surely be in England manager Kevin Keegan's plans if he could only produce his best form.

City fans who follow the reserves saw glimpses of Collymore's quality when he played for Villa in an FA Premier Reserve League match at Valley Parade in November.

He has height (6ft 2ins), skill and goalscoring ability as he proved at Nottingham Forest when his tally of 41 goals in 65 league matches ranked with the best.

The key to getting the best out of him is motivation, persuading him to forget his personal problems - real and imagined - and concentrate on what he does best, playing football. That is down to the man-management skills of Paul Jewell.

The City manager has proved he has those qualities during his two years in charge at Valley Parade.

Handling a wayward character like Collymore will prove to be his biggest test, but I believe that Jewell will relish the challenge.

City proved they are not averse to signing star players when they took on Chris Waddle in October 1996. Unlike Collymore, though, his attitude was not in doubt.

Waddle made a huge contribution during his five months at Valley Parade, including helping inspire the team to avoid relegation.

Collymore could do the same.

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