Wells vows to dedicate final victory to Tumaini
Nahki Wells has extra motivation to win tomorrow’s League Cup final with the Bradford City striker hoping to dedicate victory to Tumaini Steede.Wells and former Devonshire Cougars striker Steede, who died in a motorcycle accident last year, spent their childhood together and were close both on and off the field.In a touching tribute to Steede, a mechanics student in Brighton, Wells celebrated his League Cup semi-final goal against Aston Villa at Valley Parade by displaying a T-shirt in dedication to his closest friend.“He was a very tight mate of mine growing up,” Wells told The Daily Express.“We played together from 12 years old, internationally for Bermuda through the age ranks. He was my strike partner for the youth national teams.“I do have something planned for Sunday. When I revealed the T-shirt against Villa it was a poignant moment for me.“It was something I felt I had to pay respects to because he would have been at that game.“We played against each other so many times for different teams and on the field we hated each other, but off it we loved each other. In football, I could relate to him the most.“He lost his life on a bike and what happened to him does inspire me to achieve what I have always wanted to achieve. As a friend he would have been so proud of me for doing something he always wanted to do.”Wells, who has been a key figure in the Bantams’ record-breaking run to the final, remembers vividly the moment he learned his friend had died.“I was at home in Bradford just chilling and I got a call that he was in the hospital after a bike accident. He slid off the road into a tree,” said Wells.“One minute I heard he was all right and would hopefully continue to get better, then a few days later I got a call saying he had passed away. It was a great shock, a hard moment for me and my career is now all about honouring him.”