Barnsley v Bradford City: Graham Alexander on Lincoln City envy as Bantams eye their own special Oakwell moment

Ipswich Town followers were afforded one such joyous occasion in Barnsley three years ago en route to promotion from League One in 2022-23 with their 5,000 strong contingent heading back to Suffolk in full voice and with a smile on their faces.

In March 2023, the previous month, those who made the rather shorter journey down the A61 to the blue and white side of Sheffield were rather less enamoured.

Like Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford City will colonise one end of Barnsley’s famous old ground today amid a cacophony of West Yorkshire noise in a sell-out following.

Unlike on those two previous occasions mentioned, the three home sections of the stadium won’t be as heavily populated.

When you are winning, Oakwell is one of the best venues around for an away club who travel in numbers.

After being feted when you walk out from the dressing rooms inside the away stand before kick-off, you will be heralded when you head back in at half-time if things are going well and most definitely at the final whistle if you are successful. A love-in often ensues.

For professionals, it’s why you are involved in football. But there is trade off. When results and performances are not so good, managers and players have to face the music on the walk back.

The likes of Leeds United, Wednesday, Huddersfield Town, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Derby County can all attest to that - plenty of others over the years too.

Bradford chief Graham Alexander, who knows a fair bit about the EFL circuit, said: "That's the coin that gets tossed every week, isn't it? Heads or tails. Good or bad.

"I think it is a good venue to play at. I've played there as a player, enjoyed it and managed there a few times as well.

"I think the players are looking forward to it. There's a couple of lads that have played there over the years."

City were afforded memories galore last spring, good and bad. There was heartache at Swindon Town, woe at Doncaster Rovers and then elation on the journey home.

It all culminated in that scarcely believable moment on May 3, 2025 when Sarcevic 90+6 went down in club folklore.

A win at Oakwell today – and maybe a special moment - could well be recalled with fondness in months to come. Three points would put City on the cusp of securing a play-off spot.

For Alexander, today’s spectacle is a reminder of what being a pro is all about. Although he loves it all, in truth.

He continued: "The thing is, honestly, I enjoy watching my team train, let alone play inside an environment with 15,000 to 20,000.

"I love that even more, but just watching my players go about their work, how they interact, and perform, how they dig deep for each other, how they're connected…

"This is where I get so much joy, watching and preparing my team. When I see them reliving the times that are in my distant eye as a player, that's when it's really rewarding.

"That will always be a driving factor for me doing this job. I love match days. I think it's brilliant.

"I dreamed as a kid just to be involved in one match day when I was 12 or 13. To do as many as I have as a player and now manager, I'm privileged and so grateful. The venue, you see it until kick-off but then once that whistle goes, honestly, you could be on any park."

Fighting for something wholesome in April is the name of the game across football. It is what is referenced during those long days in pre-season when the hard yards are put in.

City players were pushed to their limit during a back-breaking training camp in Austria last July, which was hardly Edelweiss. What drove them on were memories of what happened at the end of the previous season.

For Alexander, Lincoln City’s recent clinching of promotion and showing just what is possible serves a further motivation for him.

He continued: "I was envious of seeing Lincoln celebrating. I was looking at them thinking: 'I remember that last year, that was a brilliant feeling. I want it again, that's it'.

"So I think it's important to be able to motivate yourself, to have an idea of where you want to be and the path you have to take towards that.

"That's why we talk in pre-season straight away about the path that's ahead, how we have to be prepared for it.

"But certainly, without predicting anything at the end of the season in the summer, we sort of use reference points.

"I remember using that the season before last, using teams that had been promoted and saying to the lads: 'How did you feel when you saw these players?'

"Because football's a village, so a lot of players will know the players and they'll see their best mates or someone getting promoted.

"And if you ever have a down day, think about that, use that. And I do that."