'Unbelievable' - Cook makes 'fairytale' injury return

Andy Cook has scored 87 goals in 193 appearances for Bradford City in all competitions

Bradford City boss Graham Alexander called striker Andy Cook's goalscoring return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury a "fairytale".

The 34-year-old was included in the squad for the Bantams' EFL Trophy match with Grimsby on Tuesday for the first time since suffering the injury at Barrow on New Year's Day.

He was brought on with 25 minutes to play with the hosts 1-0 down and scored twice to give them a 2-1 win.

"I thought I'd seen enough fairytales from the last day of last season. It's brilliant for Cooky, every credit to him," Alexander told BBC Radio Leeds.

Cook's double moved him level with Dean Windass as the club's fourth-highest goalscorer on 87 goals.

He acknowledged he could not have imagined having such a big impact in his first game back.

"I was coming to the game knowing I was gonna be in the squad and I was just happy to get minutes," Cook said.

"To get a goal I thought would have been a bonus but to get two... It's unbelievable."

Lay-off was 'hideous'

Cook had 15 goals in 29 matches last season before his campaign was ended by injury.

He admitted that despite being able to enjoy their subsequent promotion he had found the long time away from the field very challenging.

"It's been hideous... horrendous, I'll be honest," he told BBC Radio Leeds.

"The day I found out I'd done my knee I doubted myself. I had times where I mentally struggled.

"I had the highs of promotion even though I wasn't involved but I had played my part.

"We had the promotion party and went away to Ibiza and then I had two days back at home and then I was in training on my own. To be isolated for training was tough mentally.

"I thought the off-season when I was with not many people would be the toughest bit but it's been the past four weeks when I've been training but not been able to play. Thankfully I've been able to get out tonight."

'I screamed my house down'

Cook will now hope to build on his goalscoring return to the side in the following weeks.

The Bantams have made a fantastic start to life back in League One and are unbeaten in third after six games.

They have also beaten Championship sides Blackburn and Stoke City in the Carabao Cup and have will face Cook's boyhood club Newcastle in the third round later this month.

Asked how he responded to seeing they had been drawn against the Magpies he said: "I screamed my house down. I couldn't believe it.

"For my whole career I've not really got a big tie so to get this draw for me and the lads it's unbelievable."