Written by Jason McKeown (images by John Dewhirst)

You’ve really got to admire their commitment to doing it the hardest way possible. I mean, the last few weeks were one thing – but they took it to even more extreme levels here, waiting until the last kick of the season to achieve promotion.

Fair play lads, you absolutely had us for a moment then. I mean, if being picky, we could have done without all that stress, all that anxiety, and to not to have to stare quite so closely into a pit of despair as we thought we’d missed out. But you can’t argue with that outcome. So you do you, and we’ll just enjoy what you’ve given us.

And you really have given us so, so much here. The greatest ending to a Bradford City match ever. The stakes raised to the highest of levels, before George Lapslie hit a shot that deflected off Antoni Sarcevic and rolled slowly into the back of the net. I’m pretty sure this move is exactly what they would have practiced in training!

It gave us one of the most hedonistic moments of our lives. Almost 24,000 Bradford City supporters collectively letting out the mightiest of roars. Pure and utter bedlam. It looked like they’d messed this up, but what matters is they pulled it off.

Bradford City are promoted. There isn’t going to be a finer sentence than that last one in this match report. We’ve peaked already. If you want to stop reading from here, I really don’t mind. There’s champagne to drink. An endless supply of celebratory videos to gorge over on social media. A list of teams we will be playing in League One to study with a beaming smile.

If you’re staying around for this though, great. That sentence at the start of the last paragraph felt great, didn’t it? Let’s try using it again. Bradford City are promoted. Lovely. Again? Go on then. Bradford City are promoted. Ahhh. Okay, one last time. Bradford City are promoted. It will take a while before I get bored of writing that.

League One beckons. How we got there, I don’t know. The story of how the Bantams sealed promotion was one of pride, anguish, fear and one extraordinary ending. And we all got to experience every twist and turn as one, with everyone coming together in the most uplifting of ways. Supporters turning out in huge numbers, cheering the players into the ground, bringing Manningham Lane to a halt as they marched down to Valley Parade. Inside the ground there was a cauldron-like atmosphere of noise, decorated with claret and amber stripes everywhere you looked.

Everything was set up for a day of merriment, but it took a bit longer than we’d hoped before the party could start. Turns out there were two football teams wanting to succeed here. It’s not that anyone expected Fleetwood to roll over, but their levels of organisation and determination to spoil the day was an unwelcome surprise. Certainly Walsall will not be able to have any complaints that City were given an easy ride.

Fleetwood set up in a defensive-minded 4-1-4-1. 20-year-old Owen Devonport ploughing a lone farrow up front, his 10 team-mates behind the ball. City had 70% first half possession. Lots of passing it around, trying to find openings, but Fleetwood rigidly stuck to an off the ball shape that saw wide players double up with full backs, to prevent City getting in behind.

And so a pattern was set of slow, cagey football from the Bantams that had promise but little potency. There was the odd sight of goal with Brad Halliday firing over, Calum Kavanagh having a header blocked by Jay Lynch when he knew little about it, and Alex Pattison shooting over the bar.

But in the main it was several corners where the short option was taken by City with little threat, and the odd half-decent penalty shout. Games with stakes as huge as this tend to have a high bar for referees to award penalties and nothing was doing, though Findley Potter was slightly fortunate not to be red carded on half time, when Pattison had got away and was technically through on goal before the 21-year-old dragged him down.

Pattison would go off at the break, either because he could not recover from the injury Potter inflicted on him, or because – frankly – he wasn’t playing very well. He was in good company on that front. Fair to say the sense of occasion got to many of the players. To everyone’s great credit no-one froze, but no-one beyond Richie Smallwood really looked their best selves. Decision making just that little bit off. One too many passes taken rather than someone grasping the situation. Not a bad first half performance, just not a very good one either.

The team were massively indebted to Sam Walker for making sure it wasn’t worse. Mid-way through the first half, Davenport had found space to run into and played an excellent low ball into the path of Matty Virtue in the box. He hit the shot and you waited for the back of the net to ripple, but Sam Walker pulled off a brilliant save and Tayo Adaramola blocked a follow up attempt. Huge moment in the game, no doubt, and one that deserves to be long remembered.

Walker got a bit of stick for his positioning for Billy Sharp’s winning goal for Doncaster last week, but where would City be without their stopper over recent home games? The massive block here. The penalty save against Crewe. The wonderful one-on-one fingertip effort to deny Colchester at a crucial stage of City’s 4-1 win. Walker’s career has been transformed from journeyman (just 49 league games for five different clubs over a five-year period before joining the Bantams) to much-loved City number one. He’s out of contract this summer and surely amongst the first in the queue for a new deal.

The cautious City performance continued after the break, dampening the fervent atmosphere and casting some greyness over the day. But as phones remained out of pockets around the stands, so everyone could keep tabs of Walsall, City’s stalemate didn’t matter too much. As long as the score at Gresty Road remained 0-0…Then on the hour, Walsall scored. And suddenly a sense of urgency swarmed over Valley Parade. City’s own goalless path was no longer good enough to claim the all-important third spot. They had to start doing more.

And that proved a tough ask. Fleetwood’s low block remained stubbornly in place. City weren’t getting anywhere near behind it. Graham Alexander had spent much of the first half gesturing for his players to stay calm, but now he had to get to work injecting more energy and bravery into his troops. Part of that was achieved by taking players out of the firing line who were clearly struggling with their emotions.

So off went Bobby Pointon – who played well in patches, but at times looked too desperate to be the hero we want him to be, leading to some questionable decision-making. Off went Adaramola – a player with a fine future ahead no doubt, but who looked a bit fazed by the day. Off even went Smallwood, as Alexander eventually resorted to the kitchen sink approach.

Despite a brief moment of hope when it seemed Crewe had equalised – which prompted a roar from fans watching streams of the game on their phones that spread around the stadium – the situation didn’t change. Crewe’s goal was disallowed. Walsall were still on track for a first win in 14 games, which would see them pip City to the post, unless the Bantams could make the breakthrough.

And watching in the stands, it really began to feel like winning this one was beyond the wit and composure of City. They only managed two shots on goal from the start of the second half up until the 84th minute. With each cross that went out of play, each pass that was misplaced, each punt into the box that was cleared by Fleetwood, hope drifted further away. We’ve seen so many City games like this over the years, and we all know the usual disappointing conclusion.

But this team are made of sterner stuff. Even with everything going against them, even though they weren’t playing well, and even with the pressure of delivering to such an expectant crowd so overwhelming, they kept going. They ended up with five forwards on the pitch and who knows what formation in those final few minutes. And significantly, they finally began to create chances.

None better then when Jack Shepherd ran onto a loose ball and hit a powerful low shot that beat Lynch but not the woodwork. It hit the post. The width of a post. Promotion about to be denied by the width of a post? We were going to need to rename this website.

Antoni Sarcevic also had a brilliant chance on goal when the ball bounced his way and he turned and shot. The effort went over the bar. He probably should have done better. Sarcevic looked like he was running on fumes at times. There’s no doubt we rushed him back from injury, and he’s not been hitting his January-March form.

But the thing with Sarcevic is, he’s a big player. And the reason why Alexander pulled out all the stops to bring a player who had played for him at Fleetwood – the pair promoted together in 2014 – was for moments like this.

So as the game went deep, deep into stoppage time, and as attacks kept breaking down, and as Fleetwood time-wasted to death, and as fans held their head in their hands, and as we braced ourselves for a whole world of emotional pain, the serial promotion winner Sarcevic popped up to be the hero. He deflected home the latest of winning goals. And sparked what was perhaps the biggest single release of joy this famous ground has ever seen.

Elation was unconfined. Cheers, hugs, and tears. One of the most thrilling sporting moments most of us have ever witnessed. Some fans invaded the pitch in their euphoria, delaying the game significantly – especially as they cleared the pitch once, only for some of them to stupidly run on again (and seriously guys, the flares were wholly inappropriate on this day of all days). Eventually order was restored. Another 60 seconds of action was played out, and then the final whistle was sounded to spark a third pitch invasion and more scenes of delirium. The beginnings of a party that will go on well into the night, and for several more days.

You have to slightly feel for Walsall fans. Their team has gone from being talked about as the greatest League Two side of all time to completely collapsing. Then, with hope almost lost, they finally pull off a win, and it looks like it’s going to be enough to go up. It must have been quite a sight to see the joy in the Gresty Road away stands suddenly turn to disbelief and sorrow. There’s probably not a shred of mental strength left in that Saddlers team after the last few weeks, and you certainly wouldn’t back them in the play offs.

Not our problem though, thanks very much. So back in BD8 the pitch was eventually cleared of jubilant supporters, the players came out one by one to take the richly deserved applause, and they danced by a quickly erected podium, and their families joined them on the pitch as they walked around applauding the stands, and eventually we all left the stadium and headed to the nearest pub or off licence selling booze, and the next time we set foot inside Valley Parade it will be to watch League One football.

There’s so much to say about this day and this promotion. But all that can wait for the moment. Instead, let’s just say a big thank you. A big thank you to Graham Alexander. Thank you to the coaching staff. Thank you to the players – this was a true squad effort where everyone played a part. Thank you to those behind the scenes. Thank you to Ryan Sparks. Thank you to Stefan Rupp.

Promotion means the world, but it comes with the bonus prize of a club and supporter base that is back as one, after such a tough eight years. The enthusiasm and engagement of fans has been incredible in recent weeks. The interest in the football club seems higher than ever, with this the biggest league crowd at Valley Parade in 75 years. This level of backing and goodwill will make a huge difference as we look forward to the challenge of League One – but it also sets up the club for a brighter long-term future.

We did it. We did it the hardest way possible. But putting us through the mill – today and over the last few weeks – was worth every moment of anguish to experience this magically perfect climax. And it’s hard to imagine a conclusion to a season more electrifying and more rewarding than this.

Categories: Match Reviews

Tags: 2024/25, BCAFC, League Two