YOU won’t hear new dad Gary Liddle complaining about City’s hectic opening schedule.

After three straight games on the road, the Bantams are relieved to be back at Valley Parade tomorrow to face Darren Ferguson’s Peterborough.

But midfielder Liddle didn’t mind all those hours up and down the motorway – it gave him the chance for some much-needed kip.

Life in the Liddle household has been turned upside down since the arrival of daughter Freya eight days ago.

“They don’t lie about sleepless nights!” he laughed. “I’m drinking more coffee than ever before.

“It’s our first child so everything’s new for us both but things are going great.”

Liddle was excused cup duty at Morecambe when his partner Leanne went into labour. But it was another two days before their daughter was born.

“It was 48 hours of very limited sleep, which made it difficult to think about what was going on. The manager was nice enough to let me have that time off but I’ve just about caught up now.”

Anyone who saw his display at Crawley in midweek will vouch for that. Liddle was an important cog in a midfield machine that rolled over the previously-unbeaten hosts.

He has played the holding role at the base of the diamond in earlier games but began Tuesday on the left. He has been impressed with how quickly City have taken to their new more fluid approach.

Liddle added: “We’ve had a very good start and we’ve taken to the system well. I love playing that way.

“There are some good footballers here and we’re enjoying it. But at the same time you can’t get caught up in playing the same way all the time.

“It’s good that we’ve got the flexibility to play the football we did on Tuesday night at Crawley or if need be use Hans (James Hanson) for the other side of the game. He’s had a terrific start.”

He feels that all those hours spent travelling together have clearly helped develop an understanding within the group.

“It’s perfect. The start of the season is always hectic for any team with the Capital One Cup, midweek league games and the JPT.

“You do tend to be around each other a lot and there aren’t too many days off in between. But it can only be good for us because we’re getting to know one another.

“We’ve still got a very slim squad but if we can keep everyone fit with those games, then I think we can do all right.”

But Liddle is happy to be return to familiar surroundings for a home double header with Posh and then Leeds – the game that everyone outside the dressing room is talking about.

He said: “Social media has gone crazy since the draw was made and the lads are under no illusions what that game means.

“But we haven’t really had time to think about it. There’s been so much going on and everything is geared towards the next game against Peterborough.

“We scored three terrific goals in midweek and we’ve got plenty of confidence to take into that.

“I don’t think Peterborough will sit back – they will come up here and want to play.

“But we’re at home again after a long couple of weeks and we want to make that count. We’ve done hundreds of miles on that coach and it’s good to play in front of our own fans again.”