Antoni Sarcevic on Bradford City's brilliant season: 'In our eyes, it's not enough'
Back in League One after six years away, to finish fourth has been a magnificent season for Bradford City. But not enough for Antoni Sarcevic and his team-mates.
Professional sportspeople are a greedy lot.
So whilst Bradford, like Hull City in the division above, could have missed out on the play-offs on the final day and it still have been a wonderful campaign, they were never going to settle for that. Now both Yorkshire clubs are two games from Wembley, three from promotion.
"When the clips went round of the season we've had, it's been a really good one but, listen, in our eyes, in that dressing room, it's not enough," said Sarcevic, hungry to add a ninth promotion to his incredible cv.
"We want to attack these next three weeks and really push on to make it an enjoyable three weeks."
Sarcevic had it already, but it is the mindset manager Graham Alexander has fostered at Valley Parade, where not so long ago fear of failure seemed to outweigh the excitement of success.
"What I gathered from a lot of supporters we were with last week, there was a lot of talk about how regardless of what happened on Saturday we'd had a brilliant season," reflected Alexander.
"I love that faith from them but we wanted to be in those play-offs.
"If we'd let it slip having been in the promotion picture from week one, it would have been a big blow to take.
"I think we deserve to be where we are.
"There was a lot of pressure on us internally because we knew both sides of the coin – winning and qualifying for the play-offs would have been great, dropping out would have been devastating.
"If we could show that composure on Saturday, we can do it in the play-offs."
Not only did Bradford book a place in the play-offs at Exeter City, they managed to move up the table and secure a semi-final second leg at Valley Parade.
Given opponents Bolton Wanderers are the only club averaging higher League One gates in 2025-26, and the Bantams are third in the division for home form this season and the Trotters fifth, it could be important.
So, almost certainly, will be the presence of Sarcevic.
He is the man for the big occasion, and a player who enjoys taking on his old clubs. He captained Bolton.
It was Sarcevic who famously scored the goal in the sixth minute added to last season to take Bradford out of League Two, so with fellow inside-forward Bobby Pointon "not particularly close", in Alexander's words, to being fit for Saturday's first leg never mind St James’ Park, it was always imperative the 34-year-old Mancunian could play.
Injections in his injured foot nine days beforehand did the trick, and Sarcevic's goal was decisive when former Hull forward Josh Magennis pulled the final score back to 2-1.
"It's so much worse watching in the stands, and especially against Bolton (the previous weekend) when I'd got my three kids with me.
"I did everything I could to make myself available.
"The gaffer knows me probably better than anyone and he puts his trust in me.
"He just knows how to get the best out of me and I know how the gaffer works. He has that trust in me and I have trust in him.
"We wanted to go into the play-offs on the back of a win, and thankfully we did that.
"A bit of momentum going into the next game is going to be key."
The 1-1 draw in Bradford's final home game of the regular season, with four twitchy Sarcevics watching, sets the tie up beautifully.
"We've had two games against them this season," reflected Alexander. "Both games could have gone either way.
"Their expectation at the start (of the season) would have been much higher than ours but it's two brilliant clubs and it will be something to relish, full houses for both games."
For both men, it will be about keeping things as normal as possible this week, and even more so probably before the second leg a week on Thursday.
"It's ended up being Bolton dropping down one (in the table, to fifth, with defeat to Luton Town) but all the teams in the play-offs have earnt the right to be there," argues Sarcevic. "Whoever you play, you've got to beat who's in front of you.
"It's an ex-club (of mine) but nothing like that will affect me. It's just about getting to Wembley.
"You've just got to try and keep it as normal as possible. I know there's going to be a lot of hype and outside noise and stuff but it's going to be two tough games against a top side.
"They're in it for a reason, we're in it for a reason. May the best team win.
"We know how much it means to these fans.
"They sold out the away end at Exeter and all we can do is try and give a bit back.
"Hopefully they see that and they come with us in these next two, potentially three, games"