Football Season Guide

Graham Alexander proved to be the man to finally rid Bradford City of the unwanted tag as the biggest underachieving club in the EFL. His appointment in November 2023 wasn’t met with much excitement, although that was understandable given he’d achieved little of note since winning promotion to the EFL with Salford City in 2019. It felt like another cheap option under the increasingly erratic ownership of Stefan Rupp. Yet Alexander proved his doubters wrong, building a squad capable of challenging for promotion from League Two. He relied on ever-present goalkeeper Sam Walker, full-back Brad Halliday, centre-back Jack Shephard and experienced midfielders Antoni Sarcevic and Richie Smallwood as the spine of his team. The achievement is ever more impressive given the injuries suffered by Sarcevic, midfield playmaker Alex Pattison and most notably striker Andy Cook. The latter had been the Bantams talisman for the previous three seasons but his campaign ended when he ruptured his ACL at Barrow on New Years Day. Alexander has shown no sentiment this summer however with Smallwood allowed to leave the club. The experienced Max Power has been signed to replace him in the middle of the park. A completely new-look back-five could line-up in front of Walker. Josh Neufville and Ibou Touray will take up the wing-back roles whilst Curtis Tilt, Joe Wright and Matthew Pennington could make up a central-defensive triumvirate. There is plenty of League One experience there. Striker Steven Humphrys and Will Swan have both been signed to replace the goals lost with Cook not expected to be fit again until 2026. Academy graduate Bobby Pointon will be hoping to step up having established himself in the side, whilst keeping the likes of Pattison and Sarcevic fit will be key to the Bantams of keeping their heads above water this season.