The Bamtams could be mistaken for a different club altogether, with new owners, a fresh coaching team and a completely revamped squad.
A Bradford flag bearer before kick off
Phil Parkinson’s departure to Bolton Wanderers could have hit Bradford City harder than it has.
Not long after being defeated by Millwall in the play-off semi-finals, the club was taken over by German investors Edin Rahic and Stefan Rupp.
Feeling he had taken them as far as he could, Parkinson left Bradford after five hugely successful seasons at Valley Parade.
Former player and manager Stuart McCall returned to the club for a second stint as boss, bringing an entirely new team of backroom staff in with him.
Stuart McCall had a brief spell in charge of Rangers in 2015
Of the team that finished fifth in League One last season, only 11 players remained on the books at Valley Parade.
It was clear that McCall had work to do in the transfer market.
He immediately called upon midfielder Nicky Law, a player familiar to his methods having worked under his guidance in previous spells at Bradford, Motherwell and Rangers.
Further midfield recruits were added as 24-year-old French midfielder Timothee Dieng signed on a free from Oldham Athletic, along with compatriot Romain Vincelot from Coventry City.
Matthew Kilgallon came through the ranks at Leeds United and has also played for Sheffield United
In central defence, the club have made reinforcements by signing Shrewsbury Town captain Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Matt Kilgallon, who before this season had never played professional football lower than the Championship.
Goalkeeper and players’ player of the season Ben Williams joined Bury despite keeping a record-breaking 22 clean sheets for Bradford last season. After Blackpool’s relegation to League Two, Bradford triggered a clause in Colin Doyle’s contract enabling them to sign him for just a pound.
20-year-old midfielder Josh Cullen returned to the club on loan for a second successive season, having excelled in West Yorskhire last year with fellow West Ham youngster Reece Burke.
Reece Burke embraces James Meredith last season
Burke, who picked up 12 gongs at the end of the season awards dinner in May, joined Wigan Athletic on loan despite interest from Bradford.
And in attack, Jordy Hiwula joined on loan from neighbours Huddersfield Town whilst Marc McNulty has joined from another Yorkshire club, Sheffield United.
On deadline day, the club terminated Paul Anderson’s contract via mutual consent in order for him to join Northampton Town. Anderson joined a year ago after scoring in the Championship play-off semi-final for Ipswich Town, but suffered a broken leg in October.
As one of Bradford’s highest paid players, the club felt they had to terminate his contract in order to free up wages for deadline day signing Haris Vuckic, who arrived on loan from Newcastle United. The 24-year-old is not foreign to McCall, and scored nine goals for Rangers whilst on loan at Ibrox in 2015.
McCall has insisted all summer that he prefers a smaller squad, consisting of quality over quantity, and whilst the Bantams are second in League One and remain unbeaten, it seems as if they may have a better squad than they did last year.
Whisper it quietly, but McCall may take Bradford City a step further than Phil Parkinson ever did.
Transfer window rating: 9/10
In: Nathaniel Knight-Percival, free (Shrewsbury Town); Nicky Law, free (Rangers); Colin Doyle, £1 (Blackpool); Timothee Dieng, free (Oldham Athletic); Rouven Sattelmaier, free (Stuttgarter Kickers); Romain Vincelot, free (Coventry City); Matt Kilgallon, free (Blackburn Rovers); Vincent Rabiega, free (Red Bull Leipzig); Jordy Hiwula, loan (Huddersfield Town); Josh Cullen, loan (West Ham); Marc McNulty, loan (Sheffield United); Haris Vuckic, loan (Newcastle United).
Out: Steve Davies, free (Rochdale); Billy Knott, free (Gillingham); Greg Leigh, free (Bury); Josh Morris, free (Scunthorpe United); Chris Routis, free (Ross County); Alan Sheehan, free (Luton Town); Ben Williams, free (Bury); Jamie Proctor, free (Bolton Wanderers); Paul Anderson, free (Northampton Town).
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