(Photo: Greig Bertram)
DAN BRADLEY admits he’s disappointed with how certain aspects of his AFC Fylde departure were handled – but the Kidderminster Harriers new boy won’t let it overshadow his successful spell at the National League North champions.
The 26-year-old midfielder was instrumental in the Coasters’ championship triumph following his arrival last September from Alfreton Town.
He’d planned to move to the north-west with wife, Emily, but they are now expecting their first child.
Bradley asked to be allowed to go to a club nearer his midlands home and this week completed a return to Step 2 with former club Kiddy, who had to pay £75,000 to complete the deal.
Bradley told The NLP: “The 12 months I’ve been at Fylde couldn’t have gone any better. I got on really well with the supporters, they were really good for me and I did well there. I was successful and I enjoyed it.
“Having signed a three-year deal, the plan was to move up there this summer. But we’ve been lucky enough for my wife to fall pregnant and that changed everything for us.
“Honestly, I was really disappointed with the statement Fylde put out to the media. They said it was an ‘unexpected pregnancy’. I didn’t really want that out.
“We’d had a difficult time being able to conceive so obviously we were chuffed to bits when we were told Em was pregnant.
“Fylde deserved to know everything so I told them and the fact I wanted to leave. I couldn’t see how I could be fully committed with everything going on and the travelling.
“In the meeting I explained that and I did say I understand they’ve invested money in me they would need to recoup. I didn’t want to leave on the cheap.
“But ‘unexpected’ going into the media created lots of rumours. I had people messaging me on social media saying, ‘Do you not know how to use a condom?’ Can you imagine how that makes you feel? My missus had people asking her about it and it created lots of questions. It’s a happy time and it just put a little bit of a dampener on it.
“But apart from that I’ve had an absolutely brilliant time at Fylde. The manager, Dave Challinor, was brilliant for me and I loved every minute of it. I was really proud to be a part of the title-winning team. I’m really grateful to my agent Jake Speight for helping sort the situation and for Kiddy showing faith in me.”
Bradley made his second debut for Kiddy in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Nuneaton Town and he’s keen to put his promotion experience to good use.
“A lot of teams would admit Kiddy were the best footballing team in the National League North last season,” Bradley said. “Maybe they just lacked that bit of ruthlessness to win the league. Hopefully I can bring a bit of that and I’m sure the lads have learned from last year so we can go and have a successful season.
“We’re full-time and it’s done properly. We’ve got video analysis and everything is to give us the best chance to do well. We’ve just got to get the results now.”
