Football Season Guide

League 2

England

League 2

2022/2023

Bradford City

In

Colin Doyle (Goalkeeper, Kilmarnock); Harry Lewis (Goalkeeper, Southampton); Heath Richardson (Goalkeeper, youth); Bradley Halliday (Defender, Fleetwood Town); Matty Platt (Defender, Barrow); Romoney Crichlow (Defender, Huddersfield Town, Season-long loan); Timi Odusina (Defender, Hartlepool United); Emmanuel Osadebe (Midfielder, Walsall); Harry Chapman (Midfielder, Blackburn Rovers); Richard Smallwood (Midfielder, Hull City); Ryan East (Midfielder, Swindon Town); Jake Young (Attacker, Forest Green Rovers); Jamie Walker (Attacker, Hearts); Kian Harratt (Attacker, Huddersfield Town, Season-long loan); Vadaine Oliver (Attacker, Gillingham)

Out

Alex Bass (r) (Goalkeeper, Portsmouth, Loan ended); Richard O’Donnell (sp) (Goalkeeper, Rochdale); Sam Hornby (Goalkeeper, Colchester United); Fiacre Kelleher (sp) (Defender, Solihull Moors, Season-long loan); Paudie O’Connor (r) (Defender, Lincoln City); Callum Cooke (sp) (Midfielder, Hartlepool United); Charles Vernam (r) (Midfielder, Lincoln City); Dion Pereira (sp) (Midfielder, Luton Town, Loan ended); Elliot Watt (r) (Midfielder, Salford City); Gareth Evans (sp) (Midfielder, released); Matty Daly (sp) (Midfielder, Huddersfield Town, Loan ended); Olivier Sukiennicki (Midfielder, released); Caolan Lavery (Attacker, released); Nathan Delfouneso (sp) (Attacker, Bolton Wanderers, Loan ended); Theo Robinson (sp) (Attacker, released); Tom Elliott (Attacker, Salford City, Loan ended)

The Bantams are one of the favourites for promotion from League Two at the beginning of every season, and it is certainly no different this time around They are one of the biggest clubs in the division, with a fan-base and finances that leave their rivals green with envy. They were competing with the elite in the Premier League at the beginning of the 21st century, something that illustrates their dramatic fall from grace. Sadly it all counts for nothing as the appointment of Derek Adams proved last season. He failed to repeat the promotion (via the play-offs) at Morecambe and returned to the Bay back in January. Such is City’s pulling power that they managed to entice former Wales and Manchester City manager Mark Hughes as his successor. He has had time to assess both his squad and those of his rivals and has been busy splashing the cash this summer with 15 new additions to date. The stand-out signing so far is midfielder Richie Smallwood, who was plying his trade with Hull City in the Championship last season. Centre-back Timi Odusina, midfield playmaker Harry Chapman and striker Vadaine Oliver had plenty of suitors and could well have been playing in League One this season, but opted for a move to Valley Parade. There have been three notable departures in centre-back and player of the season Paudie O’Connor and winger Charles Vernam, who have both joined Lincoln City, whilst midfield playmaker Elliot Watt has made a slightly surprising switch to Salford City.

Target

Automatic promotion. Hughes certainly has the pedigree and the pressure will be on him to deliver this season.