David Wetherall has dismissed premature promotion talk as "utter rubbish".

City have confounded the critics with their solid start to the League One campaign.

After being written off pre-season as relegation candidates, the Bantams instead find themselves in the early play-off running.

But Wetherall has issued a stern warning to stop fans or team-mates getting carried away.

He said: "We've shown we can compete but nobody is getting carried away. You've got to be realistic.

"To claim that if we don't finish in the play-offs is a failure is utter rubbish.

"It's not a particularly unrealistic goal and it would be a fantastic achievement. But that's not the standard we've got to set and think that if we don't then we've failed.

"What everybody set out this season to do was stay up. Failure is if we are relegated.

"We are aiming a lot higher than fifth bottom and we're capable of that. But the first thing is that we get 50 points on board to ensure our safety."

Wetherall admitted that City's run of early-season form has lifted spirits around the club after four years of struggling. But he again warned that the tables could quickly turn.

He added: "We can have an injury crisis or some could lose form and the experienced players are thin on the ground. We've seen how close this division is and a slight drop in performance levels can lead to a bad run of results.

"That's why it is so important we keep our feet on the ground and realise where we've come from since the start of the season."

Colin Todd echoed his captain's sentiments and said: "It is essential that we cannot think that we've made it.

"There is only a quarter of the season gone. The only time we can afford to be pleased if we are anywhere there or thereabouts is in May not now.

"I might have to bring people back down to earth on occasions. But when you've come through adversity like us, we're going to be smiling."