Alexander cut a dejected figure after what proved to be his final match at the MK Dons helm’ just under a month ago against the Bluebirds.

Two stoppage-time goals dramatically salvaged a point for the Cumbrians in Buckinghamshire and two days later, Alexander was shown the door.

Exactly four weeks later, Alexander has the chance of atonement. Not that he is hung up about events at Stadium MK.

New Bradford City manager Graham Alexander. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Alexander said: “We were 2-0 up with 93 minutes gone and up until then, it was a great memory. But I know how football works.

"I have been involved in 1,500 games and there’s been a lot of sob stories over those years. If I carry that around with me, it’s a massive bag over my shoulder.

"I go into every game and competition with a fresh mind and go ‘I want to beat everybody.’"

The 52-year-old will step out in front of a five-figure crowd today and is the latest managerial future seeking to harness the power of one of the lower-division’s stand-out home supports.

He has taken on a City squad who are currently going nowhere in League Two in a derisory 16th position.

To be fair, Alexander has been in worse predicaments, but accepts that the Bantams’ position is by no means good enough for a club of their stature.

He said: “We have been reasonably good at picking up teams and the pace quite quickly in the past as we know how fast you have to work in football.

"There’s a lot to work with here. It’s not as if we’re picking up a dead body off the street and trying to revive it. It’s kicking with a beating heart and ready to go.

"We need to take the positives we have already seen and try and improve the bits that need to be improved. As we are not stupid and the players aren’t.

“They know 16th is not good enough for a club of Bradford’s size.

"The support is a major draw for the job. You are going to be trying to produce in front of 18,000-plus fans if you get it going and play the big teams. You want to show the supporters what you have got and what the team has got."

Bradford City v Barrow: Why revenge is not in the mindset of Graham Alexander