Simon Grayson hopes Bradford City's problems are at an end

Bradford City manager Simon Grayson has instructed his players to wear suits on match days (Picture: Simon Hulme).

The Bantams are due to host Wigan Athletic tomorrow night in what will be the 48-year-old’s home bow as manager – more than a month after succeeding Stuart McCall.

A combination of the weather and Wigan Athletic being involved in the FA Cup fifth round has led to the postponement of the last three scheduled league games at Valley Parade.

With Sky TV having moved three forthcoming fixtures to either Monday or Thursday night, City have little slack in their schedule to cope with any further problems caused by the poor state of their pitch.

“We will rearrange the MK Dons game for the back end of the season, but, if anything else goes, we have got one week (spare),” said Grayson. “The pitch is a problem that goes a long way back. I remember watching the good Cup runs and it wasn’t in the best condition then.

“A football club like Bradford should have a good pitch. But I fully understand it is not that easy to go and find ‘x’ amount of money to make the pitch how you would like it to be. It would not be cheap.

“As for this season and the postponements, it is not ideal. We might ask the Football League if we can make an arrangement to carry on after the season has finished.

“Seriously, though, we just have to hope the weather will take care of itself and not give us any more to worry about.”

Providing tomorrow’s Wigan match goes ahead – and Grayson says the club are “very hopeful” – the players will, once again, be ordered to turn up in suits following a recent edict from the new management team.

Grayson explained: “I have done it at previous clubs, to bring in a bit of discipline and more professionalism. But also banter as well.

“When we announced it on Friday there were a few late shoppers. Some of the young lads don’t even know what suits are. I don’t think they had a shirt and tie in the wardrobe.

“Players were coming into the dressing room at 1pm (before Saturday’s postponement) and some had dodgy rascal gear on. They were getting slaughtered for it.”