Mark Hughes embracing Bradford City's excitement as season reaches boiling point

"The amount of chances we are creating has gone up – markedly – and the ones we're giving up has gone down markedly," he says ahead of what City hope will be their last six games of 2022-23.

Win them all and they will be promoted, and whilst manager Hughes says they can, it is easier said than done. Two of their last three opponents – Northampton Town and Leyton Orient – are the top two and although Saturday's hosts Rochdale are bottom, two wins and a draw in interim manager Jim McNulty’s first three games makes them tricky too.

But Hughes feels an excitement he thinks will serve his squad well.

"I think it's results," he says. "We're 10 unbeaten, one defeat in 16 – that breeds confidence.

"There will be some games we look back on and think we should have got more out of them but we don't dwell on that because why?

"What I'm getting at the moment is a real understanding of where we are in the season and what's ahead of us. The fact they're getting excited because of that is a really good thing. I'm not going to put a big fat thumb on top of it.

"You've got to embrace it and enjoy these moments. You can look on the downside at the what ifs if we don't do this or that but the reverse is what if we do do that?

"Why wouldn't you have excitement? We build all year and play all the games to be involved in the games that matter."

Bradford have always been playing catch-up and still are. They do not want to finish in the play-off position they are in now.

"It's about being in a position to be involved at the end," explains Hughes. "That's what Sir Alex (Ferguson, his Manchester United manager) used to talk about, get to Christmas and see where you are.

"We've got a chance so we'll do our utmost to take that chance.

"We've added certain characters and individuals are a lot more comfortable in expressing how they feel. Excitement they might have tried to keep under the radar, they're quite prepared to show now."

Adam Clayton is back in training after injury and will play a part in the run-in, says Hughes, inset.