SOMEBODY in the refereeing appointments department had a naughty sense of humour.

Whistle-blower John Brooks signalled the end of City’s feast-then-famine season after a low-key stalemate with a Scunthorpe team who will be going to the play-offs.

Brooks had previously taken charge of the Bantams once before this year – a certain FA Cup date at Yeovil that has been bookmarked as the date their own top-six ambitions fell off a cliff.

The collapse that followed that West Country woe on the opening weekend of 2018 ensured the final day was the deadest of rubbers for the Bantams.

It was therefore fitting in a way that the official who presided over the tipping point of their campaign should be there to finally put it to bed.

Nothing hinging on the last game is nothing new for City. For the previous two years, the result on the league finale had been equally academic.

But those were occasions when they were keeping their powder dry ahead of the play-off battle; not marking time before they hit the beaches.

Instead, it was the home side’s turn to rest players ahead of the serious skirmishes to come, with five changes from a team that had won four on the trot to steady their own recent wobble.

Rory McArdle was among those still on duty and the former City warhorse was frequently serenaded by an away end determined to have a party in the sunshine whatever was happening in front of them.

The sight of a group of human fish fingers, aka the East Bierley Bantams, congaing behind the goal summed up the carnival mood among a support who had swallowed their disappointment at a season that had long since gone stale.

Saturday’s point was only the third on the road since New Year’s Day – and that from a team that had won nine away games up to that stage.

Plenty of change is anticipated – and needed - at Valley Parade now as City will look to pick up the pieces.

Only four of Saturday’s starting line-up are currently still in contract – although Jordan Gibson, making his league start, is a pretty solid bet to be kept on.

But it emphasises the summer overhaul that needs to take place, with or without Simon Grayson calling the shots.

He is on the brink of deciding his future and was still giving nothing away afterwards. But after further discussions with Edin Rahic since the game, he suggested his mind is pretty much made up.

The supporters heralded his name – but then they sung about most things on an afternoon when gallows humour came to the fore.

“We’re Bradford City, we’re stuck in League One” was belted out with gusto.

All jokes aside, it is not a mission statement for the owners going into a critical off-season when they need to match their recent words of conciliation with firm action.

Any goodwill they may have restored since Stefan Rupp’s “mea culpa” speech at last week’s player-of-the-year awards will only last if they are seen to be taking positive steps in the weeks and months ahead.

Grayson is not the only significant figure who could have waved goodbye to City in the Scunny sun.

Charlie Wyke, who almost broke the bar with an explosive woodwork-rattler late on, will be on the radar going into the final year of his contract.

The likely summer interest will test the resolve and ambitions of the club, who have a call to make on whether to hang on to their leading scorer or drum up an auction for the best deal.

There are the senior pros out of contract, the likes of Colin Doyle and Tony McMahon, although the way the right back ostentatiously handed over his shirt after the final whistle and thanked the fans made it pretty obvious that he is on his way out.

Stephen Warnock is definitely gone from the game for good after an emotional departure.

Grayson poignantly handed him the captain’s armband for the last of 540 career appearances. And even on an occasion which did resemble a testimonial at times because of the sapping heat, the stalwart defender didn’t disappoint.

The City boss had joked that Warnock trained during the week like an 18-year-old preparing for his debut rather than somebody double that age heading into retirement.

There was nothing half-hearted about his swansong and he even did his best to sign off with a goal, getting further forward as the game went on.

But Warnock did bring a loud cheer with a cheeky drag-back to bamboozle Marnick Vermijl inside his own penalty area.

That followed the only moment of genuine excitement in a sleepy first half as Josh Morris rapped the bar of his old club with a bending free-kick.

Gibson buzzed about and looked for an opening to shoot at any opportunity. But there was nothing to trouble home keeper Matt Gilks other than a regulation save from Shay McCartan.

The fans were content to amuse themselves, encouraging Grayson to give them a wave and warning League One new boys Accrington Stanley that “we’re coming for you”.

There was little in the way of action to interrupt the travelling choir.

That changed after 56 minutes when Matt Kilgallon crowned a memorable week with a booming header from McMahon’s corner.

The apt timing of the goal, given the week that it falls, was not lost on the newly-crowned player of the year who later dedicated it to the fire victims.

Unfortunately any hopes of City finding that elusive away win at the tenth attempt since Fleetwood were dashed within three minutes.

Alex Gilliead had a non-descript final outing, summing up a generally underwhelming campaign for the Newcastle winger, and he did himself no favours in the build-up to the equaliser.

He failed to spot the run of left back Conor Townsend until it was too late, only succeeding in half-blocking Neal Bishop’s pass to give the defender a second stab at lifting his shot over the sprawling Doyle.

Gibson fired another one wide and Wyke nearly rearranged the frame of the goal with a thumping shot on the turn.

But most will be glad to see the back of a season that threw up more questions than answers. It’s now about how the club go about solving them.

SCUNTHORPE: Gilks 6, Vermijl 6 (Sutton 85min), McArdle 7, Burgess 6, Townsend 7, Adelakun 6 (Lewis 73min), Bishop 8, Yates 6, Morris 7, McGeehan 5 (Hopper 58min, 6), Novak 6. Subs (not used): Crofts, Goode, Butroid, Watson.

CITY: Doyle 6, McMahon 7, Knight-Percival 6, Kilgallon 7, Warnock 8 (Staunton 85min), Gilliead 5 (Hawkes 62min), Dieng 6, Lund 6, Gibson 6 (Patrick 75min), McCartan 6, Wyke 7. Subs (not used): Chicksen, Vincelot, Poleon, Raeder.