Is a West Ham player set to sweep Bradford’s awards for second season running?

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Bradford City are becoming something of a feeder club for West Ham United and a Hammers player could be the Bantams’ player of the year once again.

Reece Burke celebrates during his time at Bradford last season

Last season Slaven Bilic sent promising defender Reece Burke out on loan to Bradford in order to give his young charge much needed first team experience.

And it is fair to say it was a success as Burke picked up no fewer than six awards at the annual Bradford Players Awards at Valley Parade Stadium last year.

The 20 year old Hammer scooped the Supporters’ Trust Young Player of the Year, the Telegraph & Argus Most Consistent Player of the Year, The Shipley Bantams Player of the Year award, The White Abbey Supporters’ Branch Player of the Year award and the East Bierley Bantams Player of the Year award before crowning off his success by taking the main Player of the Year award which is the equivalent of West Ham’s own prestigious Hammer of the Year gong.

The promotion-chasing Bantams were understandably keen to mine more talent from the famed Hammers Academy this season and took another highly rated talent, Josh Cullen, on an initial six month loan.

Cullen was so good in the heart of Stuart McCall’s midfield that the loan was quickly extended to a season-long deal.

And there was no let up as Cullen put in a string of superb performances earning him a lengthy run of Man of the Match awards.

Josh Cullen has been superb for Bradford this season

A virtual ever present for the club this season, Cullen is already the hot favourite to emulate his fellow Hammers Academy graduate Burke and scoop a host of awards come the end of the season, which has a few twists and turns left in it given Bradford’s position in the play-off pack.

West Ham fans are well aware of Cullen’s talent after watching him put in a hugely impressive performance against Champions League hopefuls Juventus in pre-season.

And Bradford – the team with whom West Ham shared that Premier League classic 5-4 match 17 years ago in 2000 – is fast becoming the perfect place for West Ham to cultivate their rising stars.