Bradford City v Harrogate Town: Romoney Crichlow sees a different Bantams, serious and relentless

"It's definitely different to the last time I was here,” says the dreadlocked defender after his first game back in claret-and-amber, at Rotherham United in Tuesday’s Football League Trophy quarter-final.

His first spell ended in May 2023’s desperately disappointing play-off semi-final second leg loss at Carlisle United, the last game of a season-long loan form Huddersfield Town.

Crichlow moved to Peterborough United that summer. Manager Mark Hughes survived, but it was the beginning of the end for him. Brad Halliday, Richie Smallwood and Jamie Walker remain from the Brunton Park defeat. So does Andy Cook, but injury has ended his season.

Now Bradford are in League Two’s play-off places again, automatic promotion a possibility with their part of the table so tight. On Saturday at 12.30pm they welcome another nemesis in Harrogate Town.

Last March's 3-0 defeat at Wetherby Road was a recent low point, a damning indictment of the flakey Bantams.

Two weeks earlier they had still hoped to gatecrash the play-offs but lost 2-0 at home to one-from-bottom Forest Green, 5-1 at home to Mansfield Town, 3-0 at home to Notts County, then Harrogate.

It sorted them out.

Nineteen points from the last 21 available almost saw them squeak into the top seven and built faith in new manager Graham Alexander.

Injuries sidetracked a solid if unspectacular start to this season, but 10 wins from the last 13 in all competitions and a transfer window where Crichlow was one of seven signings have injected real belief.

Facing a potential "Forest Green moment" at home to bottom-placed Morecambe a week-and-a-half ago, they won 1-0.

Harrogate will stress-test the theory but mentally this feels like a different Bantams, as four clean sheets in the last five games suggests.

"It seems like I left ages ago," smiles Crichlow. "It's the same ambition but this team seems like it has that little bit more.

"Coming into this team you could tell straight away they're serious about the way they work.

"The message was clear: we want to get promoted, we want to do well in the EFL Trophy, have a nice day out at Wembley and hopefully win."

Right now City seem relentless.

"That's exactly how it feels, the thing we're working for is to win," Crichlow agrees. "That's the be-all and end-all."

Relentlessness brings pressure, and Bradford's October/November ate away at their margin for error.

Last week's 1-0 loss at Wimbledon seems to have been ridden out but any game against the North Yorkshire neighbours is a potential "Harrogate moment". They have beaten Bradford seven times out of 10.

Crichlow is unfazed.

"When you put on the shirt there's a pressure with every team you play for, it doesn't matter the situation," he argues. "When you play for Bradford, you know the expectation is to get out of this league.

"I've played in a lot of teams pushing for the play-offs. Whether I've played or not it's always a good experience."

There is a personal mission too after Ciaran Kelly’s hamstring injury prompted his deadline-day return.

Luton-born Crichlow came through at Huddersfield, made his senior debut on loan at Bradford (Park Avenue) and aged 25 has already played for nine clubs, the ninth in 12 games on loan at non-league Dagenham and Redbridge

"I just want to find somewhere that's home," he says after signing a contract until the end of the season with the option of another 12 months. "I'm tired of moving up and down the country but I've had my best experiences at Bradford.

"They gave me the opportunity for a longer contract so I'm just going to play as well as I can and hope for the best.

"Dagenham allowed me to be ready for this. I didn't want to sit at Peterborough and just waste away.

"The window was closed and I didn't want to sit around playing under-21s games. I went to Dagenham and it was a great team, a great opportunity and I knew a lot of people there. I played a lot of games and it kept me fit and prepared me for this.

"Being here before, I've always been a fan. I'd watched them and when the opportunity came, it was pretty much a no-brainer.

"Everything's down to me, I want to prove myself and hopefully get my rewards at the end of the season. I'm going to take it game by game, perform the best I can and give my all."

He seems to fit the relentless mindset rather well.