Back in the old routine was key to triumph

The Bantams, after losing so heavily in the Capital One Cup final to Swansea City, were determined not to get caught up in the hype that usually surrounds a promotion decider.

As a result, Phil Parkinson’s men stuck to their usual routine of travelling south the night before and undertaking all media duties on Thursday lunchtime.

City also chose not to visit Wembley during the build-up, unlike Northampton, who were there early in the week. The Cobblers also had new suits for the final and held their media day last Monday.

Thompson, who completed a hat-trick of play-off triumphs at Wembley, said: “There wasn’t as much of a circus around this game. The League Two play-offs don’t get the attention of a League Cup final, which is understandable.

“That meant it was a lot more relaxed but we also wanted to go that extra yard by treating it exactly like a normal league game. The manager wanted things to be as normal as possible and that approach paid off.”

Thompson, a summer signing from Scunthorpe United, is someone whose influence on Bradford has grown the longer the season has gone on.

At Wembley, he was an integral part of the stunning start that saw City score three times inside the opening half-hour to effectively put the game to bed.

His future is one of several that Phil Parkinson needs to resolve with the 32-year-old being among five of the starting line-up at Wembley whose current deals are due to expire next month.

“We want the lads to stay together and make our mark on League One,” said Thompson. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t go and do exactly the same next season as we have done this.”

A previous winner at Wembley in play-off finals with Morecambe in 2007 and Scunthorpe two years later, he added: “Winning at Wembley gets better and better with each time. We deserved to win. We set up to try and attack Northampton, which is exactly what we did.

“The game was dead and buried inside 30 minutes. The League Cup final helped us a lot. By having been here, we knew what to expect, whereas the Northampton lads didn’t.

“Visiting Wembley when empty is fine but nothing like walking out when there is a big crowd at a game.”

As revealed in Saturday’s Yorkshire Post, Thompson had to miss childhood friend Stuart Reid’s stag do in Yorkshire over the weekend due to a clash with City’s Wembley date.

When asked if the groom-to-be had been in touch to congratulate his ‘best man’, Thompson replied: “He has but I can’t divulge too much information. Let’s just say they have had a good time. And leave it at that.”