Football Season Review

Bradford entered the season with worries surrounding them following the departure of their highly-rated manager Phil Parkinson, but the fear was soon made good, as it turned out that the board made the right decision when appointing Stuart McCall, as their former player continued the good work of his predecessor. The Bantams looked like strong direct promotion candidates for around a third of the season, but it was their home form that eventually cost them that chance. This is somewhat ironic, as they were the only side in the league that went through the entire season without a single home defeat, but they have recorded far too many home draws, with the run of wins they had late in the season significantly improving their home record, which read 5-10-0 at one point. The signing of Charlie Wyke from Carlisle in February proved to have been a master stroke, as the striker was involved in more goals than any other Bradford player since joining, while Alex Jones, another winter signing, also looked good, but had his impact reduced by injuries. The Bantams eventually managed to reach the play-off final after beating Fleetwood in the semis but, just like a year earlier, their promotion dream was ended by Millwall, who scored late on to overcome them with a 1:0 scoreline. Being one of the best run clubs in the division, the Bantams now need to dust themselves off from the disappointment and, with their new strike force, will be among promotion favourites next season, providing that they keep the core of their squad together.

Player of the Season: Mark Marshall