Guy Branston has had enough clubs for Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood combined.

Valley Parade is the 17th stop of a career that has criss-crossed the highways and motorways since he started out as a teenager with local side Leicester.

The 32-year-old centre half is the ultimate football journeyman. And has no problem with it.

The devil is in the detail on Branston’s CV. For all the travelling, he is close to clocking up 450 appearances.

Branston, a no-nonsense defender, is just as straight with his talking.

“I chase football,” he said. “I don’t chase sitting in the stands and hopefully that’s what the Bradford fans will appreciate.

“You don’t see me injured very long and you don’t see me messing about. I’m either in the side or out and gone.

“I don’t understand these lads who want to sit on the bench.

“My career shows that I’m scattered about all over the country but I’m playing. I’ve played nearly 450 games and hopefully have still got another four or five years in me.

“All I’ve ever loved doing is putting the shirt on and playing every Saturday in front of the fans. That’s why I’ve done a lot of loans.

“You can call it drifting but nothing beats that feeling of being out there and playing football.”

Branston played a huge role in Torquay’s unexpected play-off push last term. City never got a sniff in either tussle with the Devon side.

A regular at the heart of the back four, it was also the first season in a career that has included 18 red cards when he played suspension-free.

“I got rested for one game at the start of the season and missed two more with a couple of niggles. I played 53 games in all.

“I still got 12-13 bookings because I’m not going to shy away from tackles. I try to win every ball I possibly can and, unfortunately, you will get picked up at times.

“But over the course of my career I’ve probably only missed 30 games from suspension. I don’t fight, I don’t do ridiculous things, I just try and win footballs – and that’s what people sign me for.”

Peter Jackson, who has known Branston a long while, couldn’t wait to get the deal done once Torquay’s memorable campaign ended in tears with play-off final defeat to Stevenage.

The City boss was at Old Trafford to watch the game and made a beeline for the out-of-contract defender after the final whistle.

Nothing actually got signed then but given the friendship between the pair – not to mention Branston’s “have boots, will travel” mentality – it was inevitable that they would eventually work together.

Branston added: “I told the gaffer that I would have worked for him at any club but especially this one.

“It took a bit longer (to get the deal done) than I thought it would but that’s often the case in football. Things have had to happen with the stadium and now everything is fine.”

Happy to stick his head in where it hurts and shout the odds while doing so, Branston also possesses an under-rated left foot. He ticks all Jackson’s boxes as a commanding and vocal central defender for this level.

Branston’s arrival will start to redress the balance in a team that has been far too quiet and lacking in big characters. There will be a voice again at the heart of the back four.

For now, Jackson jokingly refers to the new capture as his personal bodyguard. But surely he is also the captain in waiting.

Torquay had made a late bid to keep the defender, who was voted into the League Two team of the year. Bristol Rovers, now under the command of former Gulls boss Paul Buckle, were also thought to be sniffing around.

“You expect competition when players like Guy become available,” said Jackson. “You just need to get in first, which we have done.

“I’m enthusiastic and I like that in Guy. I want players in who want to come along with us or they will just get left behind.

“This club has stood still for far too long. We need to start moving forward and Guy is a step in the right direction.

“There will be more exciting signings and I’ve had good backing from Mark (Lawn) and Julian (Rhodes).

“The budget’s been cut again and that’s why we’ve had to get so many players out but we will get there.

“It’s going to be an exciting time.”