Bradford’s McArdle is back and dreaming of Wembley

The defender, one of only two Bantams players to start all seven Capital One Cup ties this season, limped out of the 2-2 draw with Fleetwood Town on February 2 with an ankle injury.

An initial scan revealed serious damage and McArdle cruelly seemed set to miss Sunday’s final against Swansea City.

The Northern Ireland international, however, insisted the injury was not as serious as the scan suggested and his faith could be rewarded with a possible return in time for City’s big day.

McArdle last night said: “I joined in for the first time with the lads (yesterday) and it was a great feeling. I’d done a bit of running on Thursday last week.

“Just in straight lines, at first. Then I worked with the physios on Saturday and Sunday, which involved a bit more twisting.

“Everything was built towards Tuesday and being able to join in. The great thing is I had no reaction and the session went really well.”

McArdle’s return gives manager Phil Parkinson a welcome selection headache ahead of Wembley. Andrew Davies has returned to the reckoning after a three-month lay-off to join McArdle, Carl McHugh and Michael Nelson hoping to get the nod at centre-half.

The Bantams manager said: “Rory trained and we will keep assessing him day by day. We won’t make any wild predictions that he is fit or not.

“He has trained for one day but we are pleased with the way he is going.”

Bradford will pay tribute to the fans who lost their lives in the Valley Parade fire disaster at Wembley this weekend by wearing specially-made tracksuit tops with the number 56 and the words ‘Always With Us’ embroidered on the front.

City supporters camped out overnight in the snow last week outside Valley Parade to snap up the last remaining tickets and almost 32,000 will converge on Wembley to celebrate as Parkinson’s League Two side bid to fulfill their dream.

Among the travelling army of supporters heading to Wembley on Sunday will be a 100-strong posse made up of City defender Carl McHugh’s family members and friends, who will be making the journey from County Donegal.

Twenty-year-old McHugh headed home a crucial third goal in the Bantams’ 3-1 first-leg win over Villa at Valley Parade in January.