The little-understood condition of 'Wembley Fever' has afflicted generations of football fans whose teams have found themselves in crucial finals at the world-renowned North London stadium.

With Bradford City looking forward to a trip to the Capital for the League One play-off final, supporters are increasingly susceptible to an outbreak - and evidence on social media suggests it's already starting to spread. Here are the symptoms to look out for as the big date draws closer.

1. Loss of concentration

Anyone struck down by Wembley Fever may lose all sense of proportion in their daily lives. There is only one thing that matters now. The big game. Wembley. Winning. Things that used to seem important - work, family and other hobbies - won't even enter your thoughts for a couple of weeks. Not until the Wembley game has passed.

2. Insomnia

Sleep patterns will become increasingly disturbed as Wembley-related dreams become more vivid by the night. It may start with what previous sufferers have described as a 'mild Wembley dream' involving a mundane but satisfactory scenario, such as a comfortable 2-0 win. However, in the advanced stages of Wembley Fever, this symptom will intensify. Outlandish outcomes will dominate your dreams, such as dramatic comebacks from being 3-0 down to clinch a 4-3 victory with a last minute winner. Come the eve of the final, you will be scoring that winner yourself with a 30-yard worldy with the outside of the foot into the top corner in front of adoring fans!

3. Involuntary outbursts

When simply walking down the street or performing key tasks at work, you may feel an irrational urge to break out into Wembley-themed song. Mild sufferers will exercise sufficient restraint to merely whistle the tune of 'Que Sera Sera, we're going to Wem-ber-lee' but the more hopeless cases will burst into full song, risking strange looks from passers-by or a reprimand from the boss.

4. Migratory urges

Transport features en-route to Wembley will take on a whole new aura and mystique. Motorway service stations and underground lines, which may once have been deemed boring, will become the subjects of intense research. Shall we stop at Newport Pagnell for a burger and a comfort break or try to get to Watford Gap instead? Is it easier to park at West Ruislip tube station or shall we try Stanmore this time? 

5. Breaking out in stripes

All living things within your reach - especially children and even pets - will be at risk of being adorned with club merchandise, including ribbons, scarves and hats. Inanimate objects are at equal risk, with cars and houses being particularly susceptible to decoration. In mild cases of Wembley Fever, a car sticker and scalf across the back headrests may suffice. In extreme cases, cars and even houses may be at risk of a temporary claret and amber paint job.

6. Compulsive behaviour

- You may be possessed by an unstoppable urge to check websites every 20 minutes and buy as many newspapers as possible to ensure every scrap of information about the upcoming fixture is in your head. How many tickets have we sold? Will their main man be fit? Which dressing room have our players been given? However small the detail, it all matters. Those who say it doesn't don't understand and won't be spoken to until after the game.

7. Seeking out fellow sufferers

- Every opportunity will be taken to seek out fellow Wembley Fever sufferers. Even if there is no risk of tickets selling out, you will relish the opportunity to queue outside the ticket office for a few hours - even if such queuing is entirely unnecessary - because it's a guaranteed place to meet other people who 'actually understand' and are equally passionate about M1 service stations, folk who want to talk at length about possible team formations, and have got detailed theories about the merits of the Jubilee underground line. 

The prognosis

No known cure has ever been found for Wembley Fever, at least prior to the match. The symptoms will start to ease several days after the final whistle.

However, the after-match side effects are still significant. With the passing of the big game, life may now seem to lack a focal point.

To make up for this, the worst sufferers of Wembley Fever will endeavour to source every picture, word or video clip of the match. Until this task is complete, the patient will not feel fully at ease and able to start recuperating.