Graham Alexander has potential to be Bradford City managerial great alongside feted duo insists CEO Ryan Sparks

City ended their six-season stint in League Two in the most dramatic way possible on Saturday, with Antoni Sarcevic’s last-gasp goal enabling the hosts to beat Fleetwood in front of a record fourth-tier crowd of 24,033.

The day was a triumph for everyone connected with the club and especially Alexander, who joined the list of managers to be promoted with Bradford - the last being Phil Parkinson via the League Two play-offs in 2012-13.

Parkinson’s time is fondly remembered by Bradfordians. As was the tenure of the previous individual to finish in the automatic promotion positions with City in Paul Jewell, who memorably took the club to the Premier League in 1998-99.

On the chances of Alexander, 53, presiding over another memorable City era, Sparks told The Yorkshire Post: "We had a great conversation back in October. I said that as Bradford manager, you go one of two ways; you either sadly become a statistic if it doesn’t work out or you can be an icon - and he can be.

"We are not awash with trophies in our history and the job he’s done speaks for itself and for him to enter a second full season in charge is brilliant for the club in terms of stability and structure and to do it and be in the division higher; it’s been a long, long time since it happened. Probably when Phil Parkinson was in the job.

"I go back to Paul Jewell and Phil and the trajectory of their careers when they were successful at Bradford. There’s nothing he can’t achieve in the game (here) and it’s how far he wants to go."

Alexander, whose current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2026, professed to being ‘embarrassed’ after being named as League Two manager of the year at the EFL awards night on April 27.

He beat off competition from, among others, Doncaster Rovers chief Grant McCann and Port Vale’s Darren Moore, whose sides had been promoted the previous day.

Sparks feels that the award was a fair one, given all the pressure which is entailed with managing City in the fourth tier and previous failures by Alexander’s predecessors.

He added: "Since the day he signed his contract, he’s been incredibly dignified and professional. He’s been tested and put under immense pressure that he has probably never felt in his career and he would probably admit that.

"He’s had some really good moments; his win percentage is absolutely fantastic and it’s one of the best in the club’s history at the moment.

"For me, he’s put his name next to some of the best managers this club has probably ever had.

"He said he was surprised to get the manager of the year and I disagreed with him and said: ‘Well, who was the last Bradford City manager to put this football club in the automatic promotion spots with a week of the season remaining’. I then said: ‘When you get the job done, you’ll believe it.’

"Anybody who watches the club and has worked here - we’ve had a few managers - knows it’s not an easy club to manage and to be successful at."