Tomkinson hoping to use loan spell to fuel City chance

The young American defender impressed in patches during his time in West Yorkshire despite a testing start. It was a season fuelled by a managerial and formation change. 

With Tomkinson one of several young defenders returning to Carrow Road this summer, he will be hoping to use pre-season as a window to prove his quality to new Canaries head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup. 

We caught up with the Telegraph and Argus' reporter Nathan Atkinson to get the lowdown on the American's time at Valley Parade. 

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From afar, it looked like a productive loan spell for Jonathan Tomkinson after a tough start. How has he got on? 

NA: He's got on alright. It was a bit of a slow start for him. I don't know if Mark Hughes ever really fancied him when he first came in. He famously played about five minutes under him in the EFL Trophy, and that was about it. We all thought it was going to be a bit of a disastrous loan for both Norwich and the Bantams, but Graham Alexander changed formation around mid-November after replacing Hughes, and that really opened the door for Tomkinson to play on the right side of a back three. He was regularly in the team from that period onwards. It was a tough year for some of the loanees, and it didn't really work out, but Jon did. He was a pretty popular figure, and so was his dad, who was a regular amongst the Bantams fans. So, after a slow start, it ended up being quite a successful loan for Jonathan. 

It's interesting that loan spells can be sparked by a managerial change or a moment - that sounds like what has happened with Tomkinson? 

NA: It all changed for Jon with a game that I went to in mid-November. They played Notts County live on Sky Sports at Meadow Lane. They played a 4-4-2 in the first half and were absolutely awful. They were 4-0 down at half-time. Graham decided to completely rip up that formation, play a 3-5-2 with attacking wing-backs and they came back but lost 4-2. Jon hadn't been in a squad since Hughes' last game in October, but he was brought off the bench for the next two games and then he got his chance against Gillingham on December 16. He played the full 90 minutes, kept a clean sheet and, from there, was a regular fixture in the team. From there to mid-March, he started all but one game and played 23 times. That gave a good indication of his talents. 

It's always interesting to hear how a fanbase viewed a certain player - what was the feelings from Bradford fans around Tomkinson? 

NA: I think it built up over time. They felt a bit sorry for him at the start when he was sent from Norwich to get games but wasn't getting them. But he never moaned or kicked up a fuss; he bided his time, and that made him popular. He waited for his chance and really took it for when he came in. He was a big part of City's much better second half of the season. His dad got very involved with the Bradford fans on social media and really engaged with it, which helped. He is a modern centre-half, a ball player, and that was good to see. I covered a game in March against Accrington and he set up the first goal with a laser-like goal. He has that in his locker and is a pacey defender as well. 

A managerial change fuelled improved performances from Jonathan Tomkinson at Bradford. (Image: Thomas Gadd)

You mentioned Graham Alexander and Tomkinson is clearly a player that he liked, what was he saying publicly about him and his ability? 

NA: I think a lot of it was the fact that he was picking him regularly. It was a criticism of Mark Hughes that he would always go back to the tried and tested. Jon was a young lad who came in on loan, and there were questions about why he didn't get an opportunity. I spoke to Graham Alexander after that Accrington game, and I know the Pink Un republished the quotes and rightly so, because he really talked him up. It was high praise for a young lad. Graham highly praised him that was effectively saying that Norwich have a real player on their hands in the right circumstances. 

That was going to be my final question - it's such a big year for Jonathan Tomkinson, he's just come back from a very successful second half of the season, he's 22 and he's going to be in a place where he will want to play regularly. This feels like a really big summer for him, doesn't it? 

NA: It is. League Two is a really tough league and a hard one to get out of, but there is no doubt the Championship is a big step up in terms of class. I'd like to think he could handle it and he showed good signs, but just because he had a pretty successful time at Bradford, it doesn't mean that will be translated to Norwich next season. Johannes Hoff Thorup will want to take a really good look at him to see what he is capable of because it's a big ask to throw a player in whos main experience is in League Two, especially in a team that will be wanting to get into the Premier League. I would imagine Thorup wouldn't rule out another loan, probably in League One this time, but I'd love to see him get a chance at Norwich. He's a really talented player and it's going to be interesting to see how he does. 

- The full chat with Nathan Atkinson on Jonathan Tomkinson's progress at Bradford City can be viewed below