Loanees told to step up and show worth by boss Bowyer

TWO Town players have been told to show their best form in training to earn selection under their new boss.

Midfielders Jack Payne and Lewis O’Brien are on loan to League One strugglers Bradford City, who are second from bottom and six points from safety as former Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers boss Gary Bowyer takes charge.

City have won only one of their past nine league matches, leading to the resignation of previous boss David Hopkin.

Now Bowyer is preparing for this weekend’s home clash with Peterborough United and has told the squad – including Payne and O’Brien – that places are up for grabs.

To that end, former club skipper Josh Wright and Joe Riley, who were not figuring under Hopkin, played in the training-ground game against Town yesterday which the Terriers Youth won 2-1.

“It is a clean slate,” said Bowyer. “I have said that to all of them.

“It is up to them to show me in training they are worthy of a starting place. Once they have got it, they must keep that shirt. The players know what I want from them.

“What I will say is that in training on my first day, we only had 20 outfield players.

“So, we have not got the biggest of squads in that sense.”

The 24-year-old Payne has played 43 times for Bradford this season, scoring nine goals.

And O’Brien has already stated his desire to make an impact at the John Smith’s Stadium next season.”