Following their first automatic promotion in just over 25 years, Bradford City have begun their League One campaign in style. But what should the new end-of-season target be for the Bantams following their unbeaten start?
After six consecutive seasons spent in the bottom tier of the English Football League between 2019 and 2025, Bradford City finally found their way back to League One in May.
Following a somewhat up-and-down campaign, the Bantams looked all but set to squander their top-three finish on the final day with Walsall winning 1-0 away to Crewe. Instead, a 96th- minute winner – which was ungracefully bundled into the bottom corner courtesy of an Antoni Sarcevic touch – sent Valley Parade into raptures, as the Yorkshire outfit secured their first automatic promotion since 1998-99.
The club haven’t looked back since. An impressive summer recruitment window has added much-needed quality and competitive depth throughout the squad and has aided Bradford’s current six-match unbeaten start to the League One campaign (W4 D2).
Even better, the Bantams remain nine unbeaten across all competitions, including fantastic away victories against Championship sides Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Cup. Comically, after each of these wins, it’s impossible not to see a host of replies by fans to opposition social media posts with a laughably amateur graphic of a chicken surrounded by the words “you’ve just been pecked by the chickens”, a play on their Bantams nickname.
You’ve just been pecked by the chickens! #BCAFC | #STOvBRA | @OFFICEINTERIOR5 pic.twitter.com/zsr3VxhZTa
— Bradford City AFC (@officialbantams) August 26, 2025Excluding defeats in cup penalty shootouts (as was the case within the 15-game unbeaten run to start 2015-16), that represents their longest undefeated start to a season in their 122-year history. With that in mind, is another promotion on the cards?
Experience… and Plenty of It
Delving into Bradford’s incomings this summer, it’s clear to see what manager Graham Alexander set about to capture – lots of experience across the board. That’s best highlighted by the fact that their 11 signings cumulatively made 13 Premier League, 493 Championship and 1,188 League One appearances across their careers. That experience has also led the Bantams to having the oldest starting XI in not only League One, but the entire EFL in the opening stages of 2025-26 (29 years, 54 days).
Much of that experience comes via midfielder Max Power, and it was his acquisition that proved vital this summer.
Throughout the 2024-25 campaign, Bradford relied heavily on former captain Richie Smallwood for his know-how and dogged determination. But when he left on a free at the end of the season, many supporters were concerned about who would fill the void. Power has not only arrived from a short spell with Aarhus in Denmark and managed to do just that as the new commander-in-chief, but he’s performed to an even higher level in what is arguably the most important position in manager Alexander’s favoured 3-4-2-1 setup.
After six matchdays of League One, just one player in the competition has created more chances than the 32-year-old (13), while he’s also made the second-most tackles (18).
He’s not the only potential fan favourite at Valley Parade this season, though. Far from it.
Much of the improvement over the off-season focused on City’s backline, with six of the club’s 11 new recruits reinforcing the defence.
Central defenders Curtis Tilt and Matthew Pennington joined from Salford City and Blackpool respectively and have played either side of Joe Wright, who came in from Kilmarnock. The new-look back three have formed a formidable partnership already when playing together, with Wright in particular excelling.
In the third tier this season he ranks first for overall duels won per 90 among all players to have featured in 250+ minutes of play (14), and top for aerial duels won (11), as he remains a serious aerial threat in all areas of the pitch.
Either side of the back-three, Josh Neufville and Ibou Touray have also started excellently for the Bantams.
Neufville was the big statement signing, arriving in Yorkshire after being named AFC Wimbledon’s Player of the Season in League Two last term, and his energy down the right has aided the club’s attacking output massively. He’s one of three players to have recorded two assists across all competitions for City, plus he tops the charts for successful open-play crosses (7), progressive carries of at least 10 metres (25) and ranks second for chances created from open play (8).
Touray, on the other side of the pitch, is a much more defensive-minded wing-back, but he has joined the attack when needed this season to give his side balance.
In the away meeting with Blackburn he rifled in Bradford’s quickest strike in either the League Cup or FA Cup on record (since 2013-14) with crisply struck volley, but he offers is best summarised by the fact the Gambia international is one of just two players across England’s top four tiers to record 25+ ball recoveries (29), 40+ duels won (41) and 350+ touches of the ball (357) this term.
The pair also sit in the top five league-wide for tackles in 2025-26 after six matches, each taking on important roles in their setup and attempts to recover possession.
Much-needed additions have also been made in attack as Alexander looks to mould his side into one that is more capable of sharing the workload when it comes to finding the back of the net.
Former Barnsley forward Stephen Humphrys has caught the eye early on with his ability to produce something out of nothing. His impressive technical ability can be evidenced by 13 completed dribbles, the fourth most in League One, which has helped open shooting opportunities. He’s attempted 20 shots, with eight of them hitting the target – both top-five figures in the competition.
But when he’s struggled to find the net, Bradford have been able to turn to fellow recruit Will Swan. Following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign with Crawley Town, which eventually saw his former employers relegated from the third tier, Swan stayed in the league thanks to his move to Bradford. Even though questions about his arrival were present on social media initially, he’s already proven his worth.
With five goals in his opening seven competitive matches, he has the best goal return at this stage for the club since Jimmy Quinn in April 1989, with his winner last weekend highlighting his ability to be in the right place at the right time.
Beyond the collection of new faces, the Bantams already possess a strong group of players who earned promotion last season and continue to shine early on in this campaign.
Sarcevic and Bobby Pointon, the latter arguably the best player to come through Bradford’s youth academy this century, and goalkeeper Sam Walker have all started well. Walker has made some exceptional saves already this term, including one that served as the last touch of the game in a 2-1 victory at Stockport County.
There was some positive news this week too, as legendary striker Andy Cook finally returned following a 244-day injury lay-off due to an ACL rupture. He resumed where he left off against Grimsby Town in the Football League Trophy, coming off the bench in the second half to strike twice, including a 95th-minute winner.
That brace took him onto 87 goals for the club, the fourth-most in history behind only Bobby Campbell (147), Frank O’Rourke (93) and James Hanson (91), and he’ll be keen to move further up that list this campaign, which only gives the Bantams even more firepower in attack.
It’s What You Do Without the Ball
A solid summer of recruitment has been important then, but even more so has been manager Graham Alexander’s ability to get these new players operating in the exact system he wants, and quickly.
That was best highlighted before the season even began, when new defender Joe Wright explained to local media: “It’s a fresh way of defending and that enjoyable feeling in your mind, almost like being a young pro, where you have to be a sponge and absorb as much information as you can.”
As a coach – and former defender himself in the Premier League and EFL – the most important discipline Alexander believes in is defensive solidity, and that’s been shown over his past few campaigns with the club. Last season, Bradford conceded the second-fewest goals in League Two en route to promotion (45), and to gain that crucial backline structure, he’s more than happy to give up possession.
In fact, across the entire EFL during 2025-26, only three sides have recorded an average possession figure lower than the Bantams’ 38.8%. What’s more, they’ve only recorded seven instances of open-play passing sequences comprising 10+ passes, a far cry from table-topping Cardiff City (69).
The Bantams’ defensive work can also be shown through their 199 defensive actions overall – the most of any side in League One after six matchdays.
Their second-placed ranking for duels won (186) and tackles (115) further shows how the team operate from a defensive standpoint, a set of players who seemingly enjoy doing the ‘dirty work’ to grind out results frequently.
Alexander’s influence can also be felt in the way his side know when to commit a foul if needed to halt dangerous opposition attacks, registering the most fouls conceded overall (89).
But the Bantams have become a very well-drilled machine further up the pitch over the summer, too, knowing exactly when to press their opposition in order to win the ball back high up the field.
They rank joint fifth in League One for high turnovers (43) shot-ending high turnovers (8), while they’re one of just seven sides in the competition to have scored from such situations this season (1).
Bradford have also been helped by being able to catch opponents in transition, which was crucial to success in the two EFL Cup victories over Championship sides Blackburn and Stoke. It’s best showcased by the fact no side in League One have faster direct speed (2.16 – measured in metres/second) in 2025-26.
Put all aspects of the game plan together and the Bantams have become a side who are very tough to beat on their day, displaying grit and determination in equal measure while also boasting a never-say-die attitude and blend of quality that makes them so dangerous in attack.
That was once again apparent at the weekend, as for the first time on record (since 2004-05), they won a league match despite twice falling behind during the 3-2 home win over Wimbledon.
It’s additionally brought about personal success for Alexander early on this campaign, too. He is the joint-fastest manager in the club’s history to reach 50 wins, completing that feat in just 98 games across all competitions to draw level with Peter O’Rourke’s efforts in 1908.
Revised Expectations
Not many Bradford City fans would have expected their side to sit inside the top three in League One following their promotion in May. Now they’ve shown they can mix it with the best in the third-tier, pre-season expectations may have to be adjusted.
In Opta’s season predictions in the week leading up to the 2025-26 kick-off, Bradford were deemed far more likely to be relegated (30.2% chance) than win automatic promotion (1.5%).
Now, with 14 points from six games and as one of only two unbeaten sides in League One, the Opta supercomputer is more confident of a successful season for Bradford. Their projected points total has increased to 69.4 from 54.6, while they won automatic promotion in 10.6% of the latest supercomputer simulations.
Wrexham jumped from League Two to the Championship in successive seasons ahead of 2025-26 but were obviously backed by finances that are well above Bradford’s. Before that, Luton Town (2017-18 and 2018-19), Burton Albion (2014-15 and 2015-16) and Rotherham United (2012-13 and 2013-14) proved it can be done, so why not Bradford?
Based on the underlying data, their current league position is no fluke. At present, Bradford rank second for both expected position and expected points (11.9) in League One – above league leaders Cardiff.
Regardless of end-of-season projections, it’s a good time to be a Bradford City fan. For the first time in a long time, their supporters are thoroughly enjoying watching their side play each week, a far-cry from the sentiment that surrounded Valley Parade not too long ago.
On the basis of the opening six matchdays, plenty more clubs will be getting pecked by the chickens before May.
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‘Pecked By the Chickens’: Bradford City’s Unbeaten Start Inspiring Dreams of Back-to-Back Promotions Opta Analyst.
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