SCOTT KERR is planning on being the wise brains in Bradford Park Avenue’s operation next season.
The 32-year-old has moved into part-time football for the first time in his career after leaving Conference Premier Grimsby Town.
Having played more than 500 professional games and spent a large part of his career in the League before helping York City to Conference Premier promotion and Grimsby into last season’s play-offs, Kerr has a lot to offer.
And he’s hoping that nous and experience rubs off on his new team-mates.
“There’s a lot of good young talent at Bradford,” Kerr told The NLP. “Hopefully my old head going in there can give that bit of experience and be the difference really.
“I’m not getting any younger. It’s the first time I’ve gone part-time but I’m hoping that maybe helps the body and helps me continue playing for a few more years.
“I’ve said to the manager I’m not going there for another club and another contract. I don’t want to be playing for a team just in the league for the sake of it. They are an ambitious club.
“There are some good teams in the league and there are some who seem to be throwing a bit of money about.
“But the ambition of the manager and the style of football he plays suits myself. It will be very similar to my York days under Gary Mills in that they like to play 4-3-3.
“Hopefully with my experience I can go in there and play football – and let the young boys do the running!”
Kerr also had an offer from reprieved Chester and met boss Steve Burr.
But after taking travelling time into consideration as well as starting to think about life after playing, he’s begun coaching for former York team-mate Dave McGurk’s new academy, the former Scarborough, Lincoln and York man signed for John Deacy’s Avenue.
“I’ve spoken to a few clubs since the end of last season and I’ve spoken to my family,” Kerr said. “Going part-time was always an option and then concentrate on other things.
“I did have an offer on the table from Chester. I spoke to Steve Burr a couple of times. It was a close thing whether I went there and stayed in the Conference Premier. I’d like to thank him. I’ve got a lot of respect for him but it was just a little bit too far. I drove to Chester to meet him and it was a couple of hours away from my house in Leeds.
“Bradford is 20 minutes. I spoke to the manager, he came to my house, the assistant manager and the chairman – what they said really appealed to me.”
Kerr is bracing himself for his 17th pre-season with the latest stage of his career in the city where it all began.
“I had a back operation at 19 when I left Bradford City to go to Hull. If someone had said to me when I came out of the theatre that I’d go on to play 500 games – and I’ve still got another 100 games in me – then I’d have snapped their hand off.
“I feel like I’ve got a lot to give. I know Bradford did well last year up to a point and then fell away. Maybe with that lack of experience in the team, I can be that missing piece. I’m excited and hopefully can have another promotion push.”
