THE audience was more one man and his dog than 15,000 – and the spaniel in attendance seemed more bothered about rolling in the grass.

But in a quiet corner of the training ground at Apperley Bridge, away from all prying eyes barring the most dedicated walker, there was the clearest indication yet of the City revolution.

The revamp, makeover, project, experiment – call it what you will. But there in front of a backdrop of the odd disinterested cow were the new-look Bantams in all their glory.

Of the 11 who started Tuesday afternoon’s private skirmish with Sheffield Wednesday, only Matt Kilgallon and Adam Chicksen remained from May.

Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Ryan McGowan were among the slew of substitutes in the second half. And the likes of Alex Jones and Jake Reeves are still being eased back from their long-term absence.

But this is pretty much a new team for the new era.

Anthony O’Connor was confidently winning headers alongside Kilgallon, Josh Wright and Hope Akpan’s mix of business and brawn either tried to keep things moving or break them up, while Sherwin Seedorf, Jack Payne and Sean Scannell showed promise of a mouth-watering attacking trio to support the striker.

The centre forward, of course, was George Miller rather than Charlie Wyke whose recovery from the niggly knee injury is expected to step up into full running in training this week.

Wyke’s longer-term position remains the ongoing conundrum. Conflicting stories that Sunderland and Bolton are pushing hard one day and easing off the next do little to settle the nerves of City fans.

The biggest fear is not so much losing a player who has given the club no indication up to now that he would like to extend his stay at Valley Parade beyond next summer’s expiry date on his current contract.

The real worry is how City would go about replacing one of their key assets, particularly with time fast running down to do permanent business. It’s 12 days and ticking for that deadline.

Watching the team go through their gears in midweek, however low-key the scenario, it was easy to picture Wyke making hay from the supply lines at his disposal.

Seedorf, as Michael Collins warned from the off, is raw and unpredictable. He’s also direct, exceptionally quick and backs himself to take players on.

Scannell comes with a hearty recommendation from Jamie Lawrence and possesses a similar physicality about his play. He’s not a touchline-hugging winger but will whip in crosses – the likes of which Wyke could dine out on.

And then there’s Payne, who won an instant fan club with his performance in the Sheffield United friendly. As the attacking link on Tuesday with Miller, setting him up for a well-taken finish, he continues to look an inspired recruit.

The imponderables are still there on the eve of a season viewed by many long-time City watchers as a jump into the unknown.

Where are the goals going to come from if City, who struggled to score last year, do lose Wyke in the coming days?

And will the squad lack for genuine strength in depth if the injuries gang up as they did so harmfully at the mid-point last year?

Those disgruntled fans at Harrogate would answer that one with an emphatic “yes”. The youngsters that the club are trying to push through still appear far from ready.

But the sea-change in recruitment in recent weeks, easing back on potential for the more proven talents of Payne and Scannell from Huddersfield has provided a much-needed morale boost among a fanbase that has grown increasingly jaundiced and divided since January.

Collins has been criticised for keeping his hand close to his chest. The line-ups, the Blades game apart, have been mix and match.

“How can the players be ready if they don’t get the minutes?” has become a common cry.

But he has maintained from the word go that the coaching team have it in hand. It’s a different approach to what we are accustomed to – but that doesn’t make it the wrong one.

The proof, of course, will arrive once the opening whistle sounds at Shrewsbury a week today.

There will be no more smoke and mirrors from that point.

But for those of us, human and canine, who got a glimpse behind the curtain on Tuesday, the signs were eye-catching.