JAMIE Walker will take the pressure of playing at Valley Parade in his stride, according to one former City player who knows him well.

The Hearts winger has promised to deliver goals after Derek Adams made him the second January recruit.

And while some players struggle with the spotlight of performing in front of the biggest audiences in League Two, Walker is tipped to flourish under that pressure.

Former Hearts boss Gary Locke played 40 games for the Bantams in the Premier League and second tier between 2001 and 2002 and has told the 28-year-old what he can expect.

Now the club ambassador at Tynecastle, Locke expects Walker to relish his surroundings.

Locke said: “We’ve been getting full houses and our stadium’s one of the best in Scotland in terms of atmosphere. So he’ll be used to all that.

“If anything, he can take it to the next level for the boys there because he can help them with that.

“He can handle the big crowd and can handle it when it’s not going well and you’re getting a bit of stick. You’ve got to live with that expectation and be able to deal with it.

“Even when I was there, Bradford had an exceptional away support. You’ve got to handle that – and he certainly will.

“I spoke to Jamie regarding Bradford a wee while ago and telling him about my time there. I said it’s a great club with great support and if they are doing well they will get heavily backed.

“He will have looked at the size of the club and won’t see it as a step downwards.

“He may not get the exposure he has up in Scotland but he’ll certainly look at it as a fresh challenge.

“He was really keen after I spoke to him and just wants to get playing again.”

Walker has scored over 50 goals in two spells with Hearts but has found opportunities strictly limited this season. He has appeared just four times in the Scottish Premiership.

But Locke has no doubts that City will be getting a fully-fit and hungry player.

“He’s raring to go. He came on for us at Dundee the other week and scored the winning goal.

“He looked really sharp so that will be another positive for Bradford. They are getting a player who is ready to go.

“It got a wee bit difficult for him this season because we’ve been playing well and the boys playing ahead of him have done a good job. He’s had to be quite patient.

“I think he’s of the attitude that at his age he just wants to be playing regularly.

“This will be a new challenge for him and hopefully he’ll come down there and do well. If you give him chances, he will score goals.

He can handle it when it’s not going well and you’re getting a bit of stick.

“He’s a number 10 who can play behind the strikers or he can play wide.

“But one thing about him is that if you give him the ball, he’s really effective and creative.

“And if you give him a chance, nine times out of 10 he will score. I think Bradford have got a good signing.”

Walker’s capture is a throw of the dice from Derek Adams, who came in for some criticism from fans after the weekend defeat at Carlisle.

But Locke believes the Scot can turn the club round and achieve the success he has had on both sides of the border.

“You’ve got to give him a chance. Derek Adams has proved he’s a good manager who can get teams promoted.

“Hopefully the fans will stick with him and get behind the team. If he can add another couple of players of the quality of Jamie then hopefully they can shoot up the table.

“Bradford are needing somebody who can create and score goals and if Jamie does that, hopefully they can start getting back up towards where they should be.”