Graham Alexander on Antoni Sarcevic 'myth' as Bradford City captain signs new contract

It comes on the back of the midfielder being named as the Bantams captain for this season.

The promotion-winning expert has taken on a new role this season, playing as one of two deeper midfielders, rather than as an inside-forward in manager Graham Alexander's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation, as he has for the previous two years.

Despite being 34, Sarcevic produced the best running statistics in Bradford's first two matches of 2026-27.

His midfield partner Callum Connolly recently described the former Crewe Alexandra, Chester City, Fleetwood Town, Shrewsbury Town, Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers and Stockport County player as "one of the fittest players I've played with. I've seen his stats on the (win over Peterborough United), I couldn't believe it."

And Sarcevic's contribution goes way beyond running around a lot, having scored 18 goals in 64 league appearances for the Bantams, including some vitally important ones. Most famously, he scored the goal in the sixth minute of added time which ended Bradford's six-year exile in League Two two years ago, rather than forcing them to go through the play-offs.

“Antoni has made a great impact over the last two years and has proved valuable to us both on and off the pitch," said Alexander, who managed Sarcevic at Fleetwood.

“He still has an incredible winning mentality which we believe helps us maintain our growth as a team. We need leaders and examples for people to follow, and he does that every day. I am very happy we get to work with him for another couple of seasons at least.”

On his fitness, Alexander added: "There's a myth about Sarce, I think, that he's 34, he's this, that, the other. It's a load of rubbish. It is.

"He was the highest running player in the team (against Peterborough).

"I know from my own experience of playing late into my 30s that my data didn't drop, it actually got better.

"I was a better runner at 37 than I was at 27 because of how I prepared myself and how motivated I was. And I see the same with Sarce.

"I see the same with loads of players in our team.

"I think it would be a different type of running from what he's been used to in the front three.

"Sarce, he's right at the front from day one of pre-season.

"Him and Jake Beasley were in a race on day one so that says an awful lot.

"We know we have to potentially manage Sarce during the week, which we're trying to do with other players as well, because they'd rather manage their week and then have them available for the games rather than manage their games and be able to train every day."

Sarcevic's extension commits him to the club until the end of next season.