Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers strap themselves in ahead of the most dramatic fourth-tier finish in years for Yorkshire clubs

In fairness, there has, statistically at least. But for sheer intrigue, spiced up by some devilish quirks of fixture scheduling, a bit of bravado and a few other subplots, this one has the makings of being the most dramatic yet.

Two of the chief protagonists amid a six-way joust for three automatic promotion places are Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers.

There’s even an argument to suggest seven teams are involved if you count Grimsby, who still maintain an outside chance of gatecrashing proceedings.

Another team right in the thick of it are Port Vale, managed of course by former Rovers defender and manager Darren Moore, who also represented City with distinction in his playing days.

A glance at the remaining games adds to the suspense, for sure.

This weekend, Rovers, whose manager Grant McCann has made no secret of the fact that he is targeting the title, let alone a top-three finish, host the side immediately below them in AFC Wimbledon.

In their final six matches, Doncaster – the side currently just outside of the top three but with a key game in hand at Salford City next Tuesday – square off against three direct rivals in the Dons, Notts County and Bradford.

That all-White Rose meeting arrives on the penultimate weekend of the campaign at the Eco-Power Stadium on April 26 and looks like being seismic.

A bit of an extra edge has already been provided alongside the game’s big status in terms of league position and geography.

Instead of giving City a full visiting away allocation of tickets, Rovers have invoked an EFL rule allowing clubs to provide provision for at least 2,000 visiting fans or 10 per cent of the club’s certified capacity.

With Rovers’ ground capacity being 15,000, 1,515 away tickets have been made available for Bradford, with those from West Yorkshire being peeved at the lower allocation, which sold out before the end of March.

Given several of their home defeats have arrived in 2024-25 against sides roared on by bumper away followings in Chesterfield, Grimsby and Vale, Rovers are not being so generous this time around.

On the same day as Rovers and City lock horns, two other contenders face each other in Wimbledon and Vale.

Amid the tightest of races which has the rich potential for all three of the automatic promotion places to go right down to the wire, Bradford were afforded a significant psychological moment last time out, but with the proviso that they cannot afford to luxuriate in their current position.

A 2-0 win over Crewe Alexandra last weekend saw City move to the top of a table for the first time since September 2008.

As for the previous occasion when they led the standings after Christmas? Well, that was much further back in 1984-85 when they went onto win the old Division Three title.

That was the season of the Valley Parade fire disaster, the 40th anniversary of which arrives in May. Should City secure promotion next month, it would be particularly emotional.

City, who visit Swindon this weekend – they and Rovers are both in lunch-time action – have several more hills to climb.

Before making the short trip to Doncaster, they have a six-pointer at home to Notts on Maundy Thursday and also face a banana-skin game at Chesterfield on Easter Monday.

Rovers also face a seminal game against Notts, with all roads leading to Meadow Lane on the final day on May 3.

In the last season that Bradford were promoted, they had a county rival for company by way of Rotherham United in 2012-13, the previous occasion when two Yorkshire clubs went up from League Two.

Prior to this season, the real drama was reserved for 2003-04.

Both Rovers and Hull City were promoted, with the former going up by virtue of an Easter Monday win over Cambridge at their former Belle Vue home, while the Tigers left it a bit later, courtesy of a 2-1 triumph at Yeovil in the final away game of the campaign, thanks to a feted Ian Ashbee goal.

Doncaster were the ones who claimed the championship, while Hull ended up as runners-up.

A clean sweep of Yorkshire teams in the three automatic promotion places was a tantalising and very real prospect, only for Huddersfield Town to miss out at the death.

After taking the lead on the last day at Cheltenham, who were later reduced to 10 men, an error allowed Shane Duff – brother of future Huddersfield boss Michael – to level.

Torquay were the beneficiaries, pipping the Terriers to third, although Huddersfield did go on to get promoted via the play-offs.

Given recent experiences at this level in the end-of-season lottery, both Bradford and Doncaster would prefer to be holding hands and go up via the conventional route.