‘There will have been relatives in the crowd who lost loved ones in the fire... That is why I want to dedicate this promotion to them.’

The Bantams ended a six-year stay in League Two in emphatic fashion courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Northampton Town at Wembley.

First-half goals by James Hanson, Rory McArdle and Nahki Wells did the damage as City became the third side in the last four years to be promoted via the play-offs from seventh place.

Bradford’s triumph came a week to the day since Jones and the rest of the squad had marked the 28th anniversary of the fire disaster that claimed 56 lives by attending the annual memorial service in Centenary Square.

Due to having only joined the club the previous summer, Jones was attending the ceremony for the first time and the 35-year-old admits such an emotional day had a profound effect on him and his team-mates.

Speaking exclusively to the Yorkshire Post after leading City to their first promotion in 14 years, Jones said: “The memorial ceremony was something special and by winning promotion I think we have made 56 people really proud. Maybe they were looking down on us.

“One thing I am sure about is there will have been relatives in the crowd at Wembley who lost loved ones in the fire.

“That is why I want to dedicate this promotion to them.”

City’s 24,000 travelling army of supporters also staged their own touching tribute during Saturday’s final by standing up en masse in the 56th minute and applauding.

A similar gesture had been planned during February’s Capital One Cup final only for the red card shown to Matt Duke at the exact same time to scupper the tribute.

Jones, who by leading City to promotion has triggered a clause that means he will now be handed a new one-year contract, added: “You saw what the fire means to this club when all our fans stood up and started applauding.

“The game was obviously going on but I noticed and thought it was a wonderful tribute.”

The League Two final was City’s 64th outing of a marathon season. Considering opponents Northampton had played nine fewer games, the manner in which Bradford effectively killed off the tie inside the first half hour was all the more remarkable.

Much of the credit for that has to go to Parkinson, who in his first full season at Valley Parade has led the club to promotion and their first appearance in a major domestic Cup final for more than a century.

That came on February 24 in the League Cup, when Swansea City gave the team from the basement division a footballing lesson in romping to a 5-0 victory at Wembley.

Parkinson, who took charge of the West Yorkshire club in August, 2011, added: “The play-off final was always a far bigger game than the Capital One Cup final because it shapes the future of the club. I thought the players handled everything superbly.

“It was a big turnaround. Obviously, we were disappointed to lose 5-0 but, in Swansea, we were up against an outstanding team on the day.

“They were just too good for us. But the tables were turned against Northampton and, above all, I was delighted most for the fans.

“Since coming to Bradford, I have felt there is a close bond between the city and the football club. The fire is a major factor in that.

“What I felt had been lost, though, was that bond between the supporters and the team. I feel we have got that back now. That has been one of my biggest challenges but these lads have made it happen.

“This is a special group, who possess a real never-say die attitude. Again, when I came in, both my chairmen, Mark (Lawn) and Julian (Rhodes) told me the lads found it difficult to play at our stadium in front of such a big crowd. In fact, quite a few people said that during my first few days.

“But I came along to my first game at home, looked around and it just didn’t add up because, to me, the fans were responding to the players.

“So, I said ‘I am not buying into that theory at all’. As long as players are honest and committed, these supporters will stay behind them. And that is how things have panned out.”

City’s promotion has further bolstered the managerial reputation of Parkinson, whose contract is due to run out next month. However, as revealed by this newspaper last week, any clubs hoping to tempt him away will be left frustrated due to the Bantams manager having reached agreement over a new two-year deal.

He will not sign, however, until assistant manager Steve Parkin and fitness coach Nick Allamby have agreed new contracts.

Now the season is over, those talks will be stepped up with a view to tieing down the entire management team later this week.

Parkinson said: “When I put the staff together, I said to them all, ‘I’ll be driving you mad every day by ringing you up, all season long’.

“I said we’d be doing all that but the rewards would be there so I would like to see everyone sign their contract at the same time.

“I have agreed my contract with Julian but I want everyone signing together.

“Once we have had the celebrations this week, I will sit down with Julian and Mark to, hopefully, get that finished.”

On the amazing turnaround in fortunes from his first day at Valley Parade when City were sitting fourth-bottom of the Football League, Parkinson added: “This is my best season as a manager.

“To get to a major Cup final and beat three Premier League teams along the way was special. But, to bounce back from what have been tough times in the 64 games we have played, is exceptional.

“I take a great deal of pride in the job that has been done in turning round what is a big club.

“The fans have played a big part in that. They have given us everything, not just in the play-off final but throughout the season.

“In that respect, the cheap season ticket deals that the two chairmen have done for the fans are brilliant. They help because when someone is getting value for money, they are more understanding and forgiving if a player makes a mistake.

“The fans wanted it so badly, too. I could sense even at 75 minutes and with us 3-0 ahead, our fans were thinking, ‘Do we sing about getting promoted or do we wait a little bit longer?’

“There was a real tension, even at that stage. It wasn’t until the 85th minute that they probably started to believe that we were going to do it.”

City had an impromptu celebration party back at Valley Parade after Parkinson had insisted before heading to the capital that nothing should be planned for fear of jinxing the final.

Parkinson added: “I think back to last season when we were fighting for our Football League survival and I really couldn’t have envisaged enjoying a day like this.

“I was talking to Nahki Wells on the morning of the final. He said how tired he’d felt last year, compared to this season when he has felt great.

“That is all down to the pressure everyone was working under a year ago. There was so much tension around and that drains you. But when you are playing well, that energy stays in your legs.”

As for the club’s inspirational captain, Saturday’s win was a case of ‘third time lucky’ after twice losing at Wembley in his career.

The first defeat came when with Rochdale in the 2009 League Two play-off final when Gillingham triumphed 2-1, while he was in the Bantams team beaten by Swansea in February.

Jones, City’s ‘Player of the Year’, said: “This season has to be the pinnacle for me. To come to Wembley twice in one season is great. But to lift some silverware as Bradford City captain in my first season, well it doesn’t get much better than that.

“I see it as an incredible achievement. This group is so special. We have shown so many times this season that we never give up.

“We may have been behind in games and we may not have been at our best. But, when our backs have been against the wall, we have responded. I don’t think it will sink in for a while.

“We went to Wembley with a gameplan and I think we blew Northampton away. Because they are direct and physical, the plan was to try and turn them in the first 15 minutes. After that, we knew we’d have to try and pass the ball on that pitch as, if you don’t do that, chances are it will be a long afternoon.

“That first half-hour was absolutely unbelievable. We have had some good half-hours this season, particularly against Burton (in the semi-final second leg) when we were special. But I think we saved our best for last.”