Evans calls on Parkinson to uphold integrity of football

Steve Evans may be confident that Rotherham United will today book their place in League One but he has also urged Bradford City not to undermine the integrity of the promotion race by fielding a weakened team at Cheltenham.

The triangle of intrigue in the League Two promotion race is just one sub-plot in a fascinating day at the top and bottom of Leagues One and Two for the county’s clubs.

Doncaster Rovers will be promoted to the Championship if they get at least a draw at Brentford, who will reach the second tier instead of them if they claim three points.

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York City need a point at fellow relegation strugglers Dagenham and Redbridge to ensure a second season of League football, otherwise they will be hoping other results go their way.

At the New York Stadium, Rotherham will be promoted if they beat relegation-threatened Aldershot.

A draw will also be good enough, if fourth-placed Cheltenham fail to beat Bradford City by six goals.

But if they lose, they will need Phil Parkinson’s side to do them a favour.

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On any other Saturday, Bradford would be going all out for the win. But as this is their 61st game of a marathon season, and they are already assured of a play-off place and a home first leg next Thursday night, Parkinson may choose to rest some of his players.

There is no love lost between the Millers boss and Bradford City, a rivalry that has its origins in last spring’s ugly scenes between City and Evans’s Crawley Town which resulted in five players being sent off after the final whistle.

Evans was later found to have used abusive and insulting words and behaviour with a reference to gender and given a six-game stadium ban.

Then after the Millers beat the Bantams 2-0 earlier this month – one of four straight wins that has put them on the cusp of promotion – Evans taunted Bradford by saying they would finish with nothing.

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He toed the diplomatic line this week when considering what might happen at Whaddon Road, before suggesting that anything but a strong team fielded by Bradford would call into question the integrity of the race.

“I expect Cheltenham to beat Bradford even if Bradford went full strength,” said Evans.

“It’s about what we do. It’s not about getting help elsewhere.

“It would be great if we get in at half-time to learn Bradford are 5-0 up. The only thing I know is I have a lot of respect for Phil Parkinson, and I have a lot of respect, not for everything at Bradford City, but I have a lot of respect for Bradford City and their supporters.

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“Bradford will be taking upwards of 1,500 fans to Cheltenham, and if I was a fan going down there and the manager made nine or 10 changes, not only would I as a fan have something to say but I think the Football League might have something to say, and the integrity of the game might have something to say.

“But that’s not for me, I can’t worry about what they do or don’t do. All we can do is look after ourselves, win the game and win promotion to League One.”

Should Rotherham lose and Cheltenham win, rendering the question of City’s strength irrelevant, then the two teams will meet in the play-off semi-final first leg at Valley Parade on Thursday.