Swindon Town v Bradford City: Sam Stubbs on his love for Bantams and keeping calm when times are tough

November's managerial change was bad for the centre-back, starting Graham Alexander's first two matches but only one of the next 10, that in the Football League Trophy.

The competition has been his salvation, though, starting and scoring against Derby County three games ago and keeping his place, as he is expected to at home to Swindon Town on Saturday.

But the team has not had the same fortunes, the Derby victory surrounded by six winless league games (four drawn).

"I love being here, I love the football club, I love the people in it, I love Saturday at three o'clock at Valley Parade so it wasn't something I was willing to give up on easily," says Stubbs of his time on the sidelines.

"The way I probably looked at it was if I couldn't work hard in that time I probably shouldn't have been in the team. It was not easy but I understand we've got a great squad, lots of players, a new manager, so there'd be changes.

"As much as I was disappointed not to be playing the boys did really well, six wins on the bounce.

"That gave me the drive to think, 'I want to be part of that.'"

Similar maturity is needed as a group, he says.

"The most important stat is the scoreline and the last six haven't been what we want but it's probably just good from a player or a team's point of view to realise we're not a million miles off, we don't need to change everything, it's not panic stations, it's really minor things," he commented.

Jake Young was back in training on Thursday after an ankle injury but it remains to be seen if he features against the side he scored 16 goals on loan with in the first part of the season. Young's absence since his recall fuelled speculation of a move to League One – pulling on a Bradford shirt this season would kill it and this is his penultimate chance before deadline day.

“I need to see the physical data and how they (Young and Lewis Richards) are in the morning," explained Alexander. "It was a heavier load than they have done so far, so it’s all about the next day.

“If not, we’ve got the same group we’ve had for the last few games.”