Why memories and not medals matter for Bradford City's League Two promotion expert Antoni Sarcevic

ANTONI SARCEVIC’S medal collection is an impressive assortment - and one that his lower-division contemporaries are entitled to look on enviously at.

He arrives at Bradford City with a feted reputation as a promotion expert. The much-travelled Mancunian has gone up seven times in his career and an eighth would be wondrous and relieving for his new club, for sure.

Now 32, the goalscoring midfielder has achieved no less than five promotions from the fourth tier throughout his career, including at each of his last three clubs in Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers and Stockport County, with the latter being League Two champions last term.

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For Sarcevic - who has also previously been named in EFL teams of the season - gongs are all well and good. But for him, it’s about the journey and making memories.

Bradford City midfielder Antoni Sarcevic. Picture courtesy of Bradford City AFC.Bradford City midfielder Antoni Sarcevic. Picture courtesy of Bradford City AFC.
Bradford City midfielder Antoni Sarcevic. Picture courtesy of Bradford City AFC.

The garlands are secondary, in truth. Speaking of medals, he once agreed to auction off the Conference North winners medal he won at Chester - where he made his name in 2012-13 - to raise funds for the stricken club in 2018.

It suggests that the Bantams have not just landed an operator with acumen in the promotion stakes, but the sort of character who you want in the dressing room.

Sarcevic told The Yorkshire Post: “Chester was a massive club for me and they really reignited my football career.

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"To see any trouble at the club, if I could help out in any way that I could, what is a medal when you can put something towards saving a football club?

"That wasn’t a big issue for me to be honest.”

On the importance of the ‘journey’ as opposed to medals, he continued: “One hundred per cent, that’s massive.

"If you can look back in your career and say you have achieved so many things and played at Wembley and done this and that, that’s enough for me.

"I think there was a ‘stat’ out of what the actual number is of people who become professional footballers and to be in that percentage of players who make it is a proud moment.”

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Sarcevic’s humility is forged from rejection. He was released by Manchester City and picked up the pieces on the non-league circuit at Woodley Sports.

That earned him a move to Crewe Alexandra before another jolt arrived when he was shown the door at Gresty Road.

Once again, he fought back - heading across Cheshire to Chester before a successful association with Fleetwood Town, where he worked under Bantams chief Graham Alexander ahead of a switch to a bonafide lower-division 'sleeping giant' in Plymouth.

As for the previous Wembley name-check? That references his goal there in the 2014 League Two play-off final when his strike for Fleetwood earned Alexander’s side promotion at Burton’s expense.

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It’s been a long and winding road and not without its bumps, for sure.

"I had a couple. I class Fleetwood as my first real taste of professional football and that was a proper bumpy road," he said.

"It’s turned out to make me the man I am today and I am proud of everything I have achieved and am ready to keep going for as long as I can."

On renewing acquaintances with Alexander, Sarcevic, who has signed an initial two-year deal, added: “As a manager, I know what he brings and success is definitely one of them. Hopefully I can help him do it.

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"He said to me that he has changed since I last had him. I’ll believe that when I see it! I was only a young lad at 21 when I worked under the gaffer at Fleetwood and I ended up having the best season I probably had in my career under him.

"We’ve always had a really healthy and good relationship with each other. He has tried to sign me a few times and luckily we have now got it done and I am buzzing to be playing him again and we can have some success again."

As for being bracketed as serial promotion winner, it's certainly not the worst thing to have labelled at you.

Sarcevic said: "It’s a nice tag to have. I always feel lucky to have that as many lads go throughout their career and don’t get any promotions.

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"So to have a number to my name now is something to be proud of. I’ve not come to Bradford to just play for them, I want to enjoy success here and that’s the plan.

"So many professional footballers can have longevity in their career without getting any (promotions). I’m still hungry for more and feel proud of what I have achieved up to now, but am just ready to go again. I’ll have a tag and reputation coming to Bradford, but I love it.

"The club shouldn’t be in this league, but they have been stuck in it for a reason. I am just hoping that I can bring what I have done in my career to help in any way that I can to make sure we get it done this year."

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