Lawn recalls when City were underdogs...

For Bantams’ joint chairman – and lifelong fan – Mark Lawn, however, tussles between the West Yorkshire duo are something to savour.

“We might not have played Halifax much lately, but I remember the time when they were actually in the division above us,” said Lawn.

“That was back when I first started watching City and we seemed to be applying for re-election every year. Meeting Halifax in the West Riding Cup back then saw us as the underdogs.

“When we were in the same division, the derbies were cracking games, the sort you’d expect with tackles flying and all sorts going on.

“I realise tackling is more or less out of football nowadays but I still think the Cup tie will be a good one.”

Halifax and Bradford last shared the same division in 1981-82, when the Bantams won promotion.

Their only meetings since then came in the League Cup, as Paul Jewell’s team triumphed 5-2 over two legs in September, 1998.

Lawn added: “I’d expect us to have 4,000 or so fans at Sunday’s game and Halifax the same. It should be a cracking atmosphere.

“Obviously, the TV cameras are turning up because they are hoping for a shock. I think the bookies have called it about right, with both teams more or less evens.

“The game is at their ground and they have a great home record, but we want to get through, too.”