As a Doncaster Rovers supporter, this is not an easy piece to write. But the reality is that Bradford City look extremely well-prepared for their return to League One, and if they continue this momentum through the transfer window and into the season, all signs point towards a campaign that could see them competing in the top half – if not pushing for the play-offs.
A Clever Recruitment Strategy
The most striking element of Bradford’s preparations so far has been the strength and intelligence of their recruitment. Rather than simply collecting names with past reputations, the club has assembled a squad that is balanced in experience, quality, and positional fit, many of whom are proven at the League One level or above.
Luton-born wing-back Ethan Chislett-Neufville, most recently at AFC Wimbledon, has quietly developed into one of the more dangerous wide threats in League Two. Since joining the Dons in 2023, the 24-year-old has contributed 7 goals and 8 assists – a strong return for a wing-back. Alexander has openly addressed the recruit as a rotational and competitive option to challenge current starter Brad Halliday, and his arrival strengthens a key component in Graham Alexander’s system. A system in which the wing-backs play an unequivocal role in Alexander’s attacking transitions.
The acquisition of Joe Wright is, quite frankly, a coup. After leaving Doncaster in 2021, Wright has gone on to establish himself as one of the best central defenders in the Scottish Premiership with Kilmarnock, earning himself their Player of the Season award for 2024/25. His return to English football, and to Yorkshire, feels like a statement of intent. At 30, he is arguably in his prime and brings both aerial dominance and composure to Bradford’s back line, something that current occupiers Byrne and Baldwin have often lacked.
Curtis Tilt, at 33, adds further experience. A former Jamaican international and Championship player, Tilt has spent the last two seasons with Salford City, performing with consistency and authority. His time at Salford saw him contribute 6 goals and 2 assists from defence, highlighting his threat on set pieces – something Bradford lacked last season. Tilt is often overlooked among League Two defenders, despite his consistency in the previous two, rather underwhelming, Salford City campaigns. Bradford City’s defence has lacked sufficient communication at times this season, particularly in their impressive 4-3 defeat to Swindon Town a couple of months ago, so the recruitment of a true leader and communicator in Curtis Tilt will be an excellent addition to the camp.
Finally, Max Power returns to English football after a brief stint in Denmark and Saudi Arabia. At 31, Power’s record speaks for itself: three League One titles, the EFL Trophy, and a promotion-winning campaign with Wigan Athletic. While his minutes abroad were limited, his past spells with Tranmere, Sunderland, and Wigan underscore his quality. With the departure of Richard Smallwood, Power offers a natural and highly experienced replacement in midfield, though he likely offers a slight edge in the attack that Smallwood perhaps lacked during his time at Valley Parade. The former City captain will, of course be missed, but his suitor is a player that I imagine will succeed at his new home.
(At the time of writing, Bradford City were yet to announce the signings of Ibou Touray and Stephen Humphrys)
Experience That Translates to Results
What sets Bradford’s recruitment apart is the sheer volume of players who have already succeeded in this division. New centre half Joseph Wright has achieved promotion before, tallying over 100 appearances in the division previously with Doncaster, having sealed automatic promotion from League Two back in 2016/17. Alongside this, the “Killie” star played a major role in securing European football for the club in 2023/24, scoring some crucial goals in the process, before performing to a great standard on the European stage, within both the Conference and Europa League. Wright’s new centre half pairing, Curtis Tilt has lifted this very title with Wigan, having shared the dressing room with new face Max Power that same season. Power, meanwhile, brings a near-unrivalled understanding of what it takes to win promotion from League One, winning the division once with Tilt, and a further two times in his career. That collective know-how could prove invaluable in what promises to be a highly competitive season.
The fortress that is Valley Parade
While many clubs struggle to harness the pressure of large home crowds, Bradford have begun to turn Valley Parade into a real asset. They lost just twice at home in the entirety of last season’s League Two campaign against Tranmere, and admittedly, against my beloved Doncaster.
The stadium’s atmosphere intensified as the season progressed, and the support looks set to remain strong now that City have returned to a higher level. For visiting teams, it is becoming a daunting place to visit once again. Having ended last season on such a high, the Bantams will be hoping that they can use their promotion momentum to rise up the League One table as far as they can, to bolster hopes of a strong finish in their deserved return to the English third tier.
With the key atmosphere that the stadium generates, alongside its tremendous revenue, Bradford City should surely be able to utilise the place as a real asset for success this season, as they have done in building their League Two promotion campaigns over the last few years.
Tactical Continuity Under Graham Alexander
Graham Alexander’s tactical approach began to take shape in the second half of last season. Deploying a system resembling a 3-4-3, Alexander relies heavily on his wingbacks to provide width and attacking impetus. In possession, the wide players = previously Adaramola and Halliday – would stretch the pitch and supply key passes into attacking midfielders such as Sarcevic or Pointon, while holding midfielders like Smallwood provided balance in deeper areas.
Although the team at times struggled with pressing structure – ranking only 18th in the division for interceptions per game last season, there were clear signs that the system was beginning to click by the campaign’s end. With a full pre-season and several new signings well-suited to the shape, the tactical consistency could be a key factor in Bradford’s early momentum.
One aspect of particular note is how Max Power will fit the system. During his time at Wigan, Power’s box-to-box movement and understanding of transitional phases were central to the team’s success. In Alexander’s setup, his ability to arrive late in the box and link play from deep could prove decisive. It is likely that Callum Kavanagh will return to his original status as the back-up to key player Andy Cook, once he returns from his lengthy spell on the sidelines, after suffering an ACL injury early in the season. As a result, you would imagine that Cook’s impressive hold-up ability as the Bradford City target man will come to fruition for Max Power, arriving first to meet the loose balls in and around the 18-yard box.
Yet to be done
Whilst it is great to highlight the real positives across the board at Bradford City at the moment, you would be lying as a Bradford City fan to say that there is absolutely no room for improvement.
Upon contacting some Bantams in the last few hours, the general consensus that I have found, though some may disagree, is that the trust that the City faithful have in returning striker Andy Cook is wavering, upon his ongoing recovery from an ACL injury earlier this season. The fan-favourite, as of now, is set to miss the first handful of games of the season.
Whilst the striker has consistently hit spells of excellence over the last four years, particularly in the 2022/23 season, hitting the 30-goal mark across all competitions. However, now aged 34, Bradford City opinions suggest that the striker has started to slow down and will continue to do so following such a severe injury. With a step up in quality to a division that the number 9 has previously struggled to perform in, questions regarding how he will perform are definitely in the air. As a result, another centre forward must be in question for the club’s recruitment plan. If this article is to make any sense at all, a goalscoring threat to challenge Andy Cook’s unprovoked starting position in the team must be addressed, as Kavanagh surely returns to a more rotational option.
The number 9 market this season is extremely scarce, but options are definitely out there. Upon the afternoon mark, rumours have begun to circulate that frontman Stephen Humphrys is looking to have perhaps already joined Bradford City – over League Tow’s big spenders MK Dons, and a continued spell at his latest club Barnsley FC – as we await his announcement and one other’s. But just in case this rumour is in fact a hoax, we can always explore other options.
Bradford’s recruitment style often looks at the more experienced heads in each position, and you would struggle to find a player with any more experience at the level, and the level above, than Martyn Waghorn. While he has been off the boil for some time now, Bradford City’s wide playmaking and target-man approach to their centre forwards aligns perfectly with the 35-year-old. Available on a free transfer, a risk-free initial 6-month contract offer, with the option to extend further, would allow Andy Cook the time to return to his best, before Waghorn offers that key competition for starts.
Building on this, new wingback signing Neufville, though capable of playing on either side of Graham Alexander’s back five, has been announced by Alexander as a utility player to provide competition to current starter Brad Halliday. As a result, this leaves the left wing back position open as of now, with the club surely on the prowl for a suitable replacement to last season’s loan hero Tayo Adaramola. The club have been linked with a remarkable return from the Crystal Palace loanee, though this is, of course solely speculation so far. But as there are with Andy Cook, replacements, particularly replacements that are experienced at this level, do exist.
As it stands, City are heavily rumoured with announcing former Stockport County full back Ibou Toure as a new figure among their ranks, though this has yet to be confirmed. The Gambian would be another outstanding piece of business for the club, with promotion experience at Stockport County, and very key ability when driving the ball further up the field on their hazardous counterattacking football, and showcases the project that City are building, with the pulling ability to sign players from clubs already pushing the top of the League One pile/
That being said, my alternative top target for Bradford City would be current free agent and former Eredivisie star George Cox. Having had a stellar return to English football over the last 6 months with League Two’s Swindon Town, the left wingback, available on a free transfer, would offer even more than what Tayo Adaramola did last season. Occupying that left wing back role in Swindon Town’s similar tactical setup, Cox accumulated 2 goals and 5 assists over a spell of 26 league appearances, averaging 1.3 chances created per game, alongside 1.6 successful crosses.
With Alexander’s wing-back playmaker style, Cox could really explode onto the scene in League One. If anything, Cox, proven in the Dutch First Division for several years running, should really make a move to a high-end League One, or low-end Championship side, so if Bradford really wish to push the boat out, Cox could well become one of their signings of the season.
Conclusion: A Club on the Rise
As a Doncaster supporter, I am hesitant to applaud a Yorkshire rival for positioning themselves so effectively. But credit must be given where it is due. Bradford City have recruited intelligently, retained tactical continuity, and built a squad laced with promotion experience. Their home form is strong, their manager has a clear plan, and their ambition is evident.
They do not look like a team merely aiming to consolidate in League One. They look like one preparing to challenge at the upper end of it. Whether or not this investment results in a top-six finish remains to be seen – but with sufficient additions to their weakened areas, I would be rather surprised if their season falls short of a top-half, or even a close play-off finish. It is no doubt a vastly exciting period for the supporters of the club after such a harsh spell in League Two, but they can absolutely hold their heads high with confidence heading into the new season with their current recruitment.
