York City v Bradford City: Minstermen look to copy Bantams but first must beat them

Since returning to the Football League in 2012, the Minstermen have a dire record in knockout football after crashing out in the first round of both the FA and League Cups in all three seasons.

York have reached the second round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy twice, but one of those came courtesy of a bye to leave the club with the unenviable record of just one win from 12 cup matches over the past three seasons.

Even allowing for York being in the basement division, it is a poor record and one that contrasts sharply with Bradford who after reaching the Capital One Cup final in 2013 earned headlines around the world last season for knocking Chelsea and Sunderland out of the FA Cup.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post ahead of a tie that should attract a bumper crowd to Bootham Crescent, McGill said: “We are very excited to have such a big tie in the first round. To be at home for an all-Yorkshire tie is great, too, and we hope there will be a big crowd.

“Bradford City are a great example of what the cups can do for a club. We have always had a very good relationship with Bradford so we were really pleased to see them do so well, not just last season but also a couple of years ago when they reached the (League Cup) final.

“As they have shown, going on a cup run can make such a difference to a club not just financially but also in terms of increasing confidence and raising morale.

“We would love to go on a good run. We have not had a great deal of success in the cups since coming back into the League so it would be fantastic for our supporters if we were able to perform well and get a result.”

Bradford’s cup heroics last season – they also beat Leeds United in front of the Sky cameras at Valley Parade in the second round of the Capital One Cup – earned the League One outfit a seven-figure cash windfall.

Like York, the Bantams had a forgettable start to the league campaign on Saturday when crashing to a 4-1 defeat at Swindon Town.

Manager Phil Parkinson is keen to strengthen his squad with a bid understood to have been registered for a defender over the weekend.

Tonight, the Bradford chief plans to make a couple of changes with loanee Luke James, one of nine signings made by Parkinson this summer, in line for his debut after being an unused substitute at the County Ground.

The 20-year-old loanee said: “I wasn’t at Bradford last year, but everyone knows what happened in the cups. They had a brilliant run and everyone was rightly talking about Bradford City.

“Obviously, to get to the later stages of any cup you have to take it one step at a time, game by game, and our job is to get past York.

“They will be very hard opponents, though, because they will be desperate to get through as much as we are. Every player wants to go on a cup run.”

Manager Parkinson was disappointed with his side’s second-half collapse at Swindon and has warned there can be no repeat.

“If we play as well as we can like we did in the first half at Swindon,” said the Bradford chief, “then we have every chance of progressing

“We couldn’t have asked for a better tie, really. It is a Yorkshire derby that is being played at a traditional football ground.”

York’s own nightmare start to the campaign involved a 3-0 loss at Wycombe Wanderers.

Defeat was characterised by costly mistakes, most notably from central defensive pair, Stephane Zubar and Keith Lowe.

A small section of York’s travelling support at Adams Park made their displeasure known at the final whistle with some even chanting ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ at manager Russ Wilcox.

“I was at Wycombe and we looked the better team early on,” said director McGill .

“We were playing quite well. But then the goals, which were unfortunate to say the least, went in and the game changed.

“I felt for our central defenders.

“Keith was a rock last season and our Player of the Year. These things just happen from time to time.

“It was frustrating and I understand how the fans felt, as they had travelled a long way. No one wanted the season to start like that.

“But I saw enough to suggest we will be a better team than last season. It was one game, the first day. Even some of the biggest clubs in the country had a disappointing opening weekend so we need to keep things in perspective.”

Last six games: York City WWLLDL, Bradford City LDDWWL.

Referee: M Haywood (West Yorkshire).

Last time: York City 0 Bradford City 2; March, 2013; League Two.