Why Bradford City manager Graham Alexander has special reason for hope ahead of scheduled trip to Wrexham's Racecourse Ground fortress

BRADFORD City’s scheduled weekend opponents Wrexham have lost just once in the league on home soil in over two years - and fortunately Graham Alexander knows a fair bit about it.
Leon Wobschall
By Leon Wobschall
Published 9th Feb 2024, 06:00 BST

It came on the opening day of this season - in the Red Dragons’ first game back in the EFL after a 15-year absence - as Alexander’s MK Dons side spoiled the party by way of a 5-3 victory.

In 13 league matches at the Racecourse Ground since, Phil Parkinson’s troops have won 11 times and drawn twice, with their current home points total of 35 being the best in the fourth tier.

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Over the best part of three seasons, Wrexham’s home has been a veritable fortress in truth, repelling scores of English ‘invaders’.

Bradford City manager Graham Alexander. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Bradford City manager Graham Alexander. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Bradford City manager Graham Alexander. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

Last season, they won an incredible 22 out of their 23 matches at the Racecourse Ground, drawing the other.

They took 67 points from a possible 69 while in the previous 2021-22 campaign, they lost just once at league level in 22 games in front of their own followers.

But given Alexander’s experiences back in August, there’s a kernel of hope.

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He said: "It was our first game of the season and we had not won any of our pre-season games.

Experience: Graham Alexander, now with Bradford, is the only manager to win at Wrexham in nearly two seasons of football. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)Experience: Graham Alexander, now with Bradford, is the only manager to win at Wrexham in nearly two seasons of football. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
Experience: Graham Alexander, now with Bradford, is the only manager to win at Wrexham in nearly two seasons of football. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

"There was nothing expected of us and we went there and attacked them as I set up my teams to do on all occasions. I didn’t look at Wrexham’s record from the season before when I went into that game on the first day of this season. They were unbeaten in the league (at home) last season anyway.

"So it didn’t make any difference to me how I planned my team and spoke to my team about taking the game to them.

"It won’t make any difference this time either.

"That’s me being flippant or anything. It’s how I approach football; to go and try and win and show what we are capable of and what we are as individuals and a group together."

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January loan signing Tyreik Wright will again be missing for City alongside Jamie Walker and Alex Pattison.

Jake Young (ankle) has also been absent from training this week for the Bantams, who drew 1-1 in the reverse fixture with the Welsh outfit.

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Related topics:Graham AlexanderWrexhamMK DonsEFL