Valley Parade an 'enjoyable' place again and not a 'burden' for League Two promotion chasers Bradford City says Graham Alexander

That’s the view of Bantams chief Graham Alexander, with their strong form on home soil also generating something else even more important – and perhaps moreso among City followers. Patience.

The League Two promotion chasers are back in home action on Saturday when they welcome MK Dons.

City are in fifth spot, one point behind the side currently occupying the final automatic promotion spot in White Rose rivals Doncaster Rovers. The West Yorkshire side have a game in hand.

Alexander said: “The support base are excited when they come to Valley Parade and hopeful.

"There’s always been an expectancy, and there should be, but I think there’s a patience with the team and the players at the moment. If it’s not going our way for 20 minutes or to half-time, they are still with us and understand the challenges.

"I think we’ve earned that and the players enjoy playing at Valley Parade.

"I don’t know how much they enjoyed it when we first came in. It felt like a potential burden more than an enjoyment but we just reframed their minds.

"Part of the reason you came here was to play in front of this great crowd and at this venue.

"I think there’s a confidence from our performances. It’s not an overconfidence that we just turn up and win, that’s definitely not the case.

"We will put ourselves down massively if we ever let that seep into our psyche.

"But we’ve got experienced players in there. I hear Richie (Smallwood) talking, Sam Walker, Brad Halliday, Antoni Sarcevic – these boys are saying the right things in the changing room before the games.

"I don’t have to step forward to do that. I’ve got leaders in there who understand what the challenge is and make sure the players are on board with what we’re doing.

"We’ll go into the game confident. But we’ve also gone into Valley Parade not confident and still won.

"That’s the key for us. Whatever our mood is, we have to put it in the bin and go and perform and I think that is what the players have done exceptionally well.”