Bradford City: Parkinson picks up pieces after worst night as Bradford manager

City saw any pretentions they had on gatecrashing the play-offs totally obliterated as they shipped six goals on home soil for the first time since the days of the John Docherty era, when he presided over a 6-4 loss to Swansea in November 1991.

After the highs of a promotion at Wembley in 2012-13, the run to the final of the Capital One Cup in the same season and this season’s run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, which incorporated argaubly the greatest shock of all time when his side won 4-2 at Chelsea, Parkinson and City were handed a sobering reality check.

Steve Cotterill’s side secured promotion in breathtaking style on a night which will also live in the memory of the claret-and-amber faithful for all the wrong reasons.

Analysing the biggest defeat of his reign and City’s fourth loss in five matches, with the season ending in pitiful fashion for jaded Bradford, Parkinson said: “I’ve never seen us play as badly as that in all my time at Bradford.

“We didn’t do the basics in our defending well and when things went against us we got worse at them.

“We have taken many plaudits in that dressing room this season and down the years, but this was a bad night for us and we need to get back to playing like Bradford City can.

“Win, lose or draw, I can normally look people in the eye after the game and know that the lads have given it absolutely everything - I can’t here though.

“The third goal really knocked the stuffing out of us and we found it very difficult to handle them (Bristol City).

“They are a very good side - they have some excellent players - but we didn’t help ourselves.”

Next up for Bradford is a Yorkshire derby at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United on Saturday and they also have a White Rose appointment with Barnsley on Saturday week as Parkinson aims to restore a bit of pride.

Parkinson, whose side also visit Scunthorpe next Tuesday, added: “My job now is to ensure that when we run out at Bramall Lane on Saturday we are going to put in a physically-committed performance.

“We have to get back to how we know we can play - simple as that.”