DEVANTE Cole is determined to be his own man at Valley Parade – and move out of his dad's shadow.

As the son of prolific striker Andrew Cole, he knows that comparison will always be made.

But the 20-year-old, who became an instant hit for City with his scoring debut, wants to be recognised for who he is rather than for just having a famous father.

Cole said: "I'm really used to it now and see it a lot. That's my aim, to make a name for myself so that people look at me differently to my dad.

"It's going to be there and I have got to get on with that. It works both ways but I want people to know me for me.

"He's obviously there when I need him but he's just a normal dad really."

Only Alan Shearer scored more Premier League goals than his dad's haul of 187 – but Cole does not see that sharing such an iconic striker's name makes him a natural target for defenders.

He said: "I don't think it's like that at all. If you are up against someone and think they are half-decent, you want to stop them.

"I don't think people go on reputations unless you get to the stage where you are a Rooney or a Messi. That's when they start to look a lot."

Cole insisted it was his own call to quit Manchester City after 12 years. Having had a taste of senior football at Barnsley and MK Dons last season, he could not face disappearing back into the under-21s.

And he revealed that life at one of the world's richest clubs is not all it's cracked up to be.

Cole said: "Obviously from the outside looking in, it's a massive club with great facilities – one that has got everything. But you realise as a young player really what it's like.

"It's a lot harder than people think and there are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that are not the best.

"I spoke with my dad but it was my decision to leave City. I got a new deal there but decided to turn it down and leave because I just want to go out and play football now.

"I had a lot of interest in the summer and a few things didn't materialise. There was a lot of messing around in the end and I just wanted to get back playing football.

"I met the manager here and liked what he had to say. I spoke to other people and thought: 'I'm going to go to Bradford'.

"My dad said there was a big fanbase here and that I could go and make a big name for myself – but it was up to me."

Cole may have burst on to the Valley Parade scene in dramatic fashion with the last-gasp winner but the young striker admitted he had seen it coming.

He said: "To be fair, I grabbed dinner with my mates after I signed on the Friday and said to them: 'I'll score on Saturday'. I had a feeling I'd score and obviously it happened.

"I've never played off a big centre forward before, so I have to adjust to that. But (James) Hanson is great in the air and wins everything.

"I thought he was always going to knock one down in the right area and if I'm gambling and get lucky, which I did, there's going to be something there.

"It was great to come on and get the winner on my debut. I think it will definitely always be up there, wherever you are in your career."