Bradford City boss on planned fans' protests ahead of League Two game with Tranmere Rovers plus Alex Gilliead/injury update

BRADFORD CITY manager Graham Alexander says he has no issues whatsoever with a planned protest from sections of the club's fanbase ahead of Good Friday's League Two home game with Tranmere Rovers.

A growing disconnect between some supporters and the club's hierarchy has prompted the decision by the Bradford City Fans Independent Group to organise a protest that will take place at 2pm outside the directors entrance.

Questioned about the protest, Alexander, whose side have lost their last four league matches in a poor run of form, said: “I wasn’t aware of it until Monday. I’m quite lucky that I’m not on social media, I try to focus on things closer to me that I can handle or influence.

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"I don’t think I’ve ever been involved when something like that has come along. There has been talk of it happening previously.

Bradford City manager Graham Alexander, pictured during the recent League Two Yorkshire derby at Harrogate Town. Picture: Tony Johnson.Bradford City manager Graham Alexander, pictured during the recent League Two Yorkshire derby at Harrogate Town. Picture: Tony Johnson.
Bradford City manager Graham Alexander, pictured during the recent League Two Yorkshire derby at Harrogate Town. Picture: Tony Johnson.

"It doesn’t change my job or my messaging to the players and the motivation to play well.

"Britain has a brilliant tradition of free speech and allowing people to air their views.

"I’m the last person to say people shouldn’t be doing this or that. It’s a free country.

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"People have a much longer history with Bradford City than I do. They have different emotions and more knowledge of what makes them feel as they do.

"I can only deal with the four or five months I’ve been here and the future, which is the most important thing for me.

"I don’t really know if I have to deal with it, to be honest. It’s not outside my house, it’s outside my work place.

"I’ve got a job to do and I really need to concentrate on that rather than get veered off that course.

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"I can understand why people are upset. It’s football, it’s part of life and I get it.

"I don’t know how much, apart from creating a winning team, I can do to help that.

"I’ll try to create a winning team to do my bit to help people feel better and hopefully that will be enough."

City must again make do without midfielder Alex Gilliead (calf), who will miss the club's Easter programme.

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Ash Taylor, Sam Stubbs, Alex Pattison and Jake Young remain sidelined, with fresh doubts surrounding some unnamed players following last weekend's 3-0 reverse at Harrogate Town.

Alexander added: "He (Gilliead) won’t be available. He’s doing his rehab, so will be another week or so.

"We’ve got a couple of other boys having scans from things they picked up at the weekend.

"We’ll wait to see who we have fully fit. But unfortunately, there are a couple of issues.

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"It’s not players who usually pick up niggles, so we’re just making sure we do the right things.

"We’ll still have a team I feel can win the game. It’s not about the players missing, but the ones we have."

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