Six of the best wins from Bradford City's 2023/2024 season

But there were some high spots along the way.

Here is my choice with the six best wins of 2023-2024:

NEWPORT A, 4-1 (September 23)

Andy Cook is mobbed after the first of his three goals (Image: Thomas Gadd)

City had trekked to south Wales with Mark Hughes calling for everyone to “take a breath” after their stumbling start to the season.

Hughes was unhappy with the venom of the “narrative” that had followed fractious home draws with Grimsby and Harrogate.

Andy Cook was, similarly, getting stick from some quarters before a four-game injury absence.

City’s main man rammed that criticism down his accusers’ throats with a rampaging display on his return.

With Kevin McDonald commanding midfield behind him and Rayhaan Tulloch running riot on the wing, Newport simply had no answer.

Cook helped himself to a hat-trick before delivering a few barbed post-match comments – and why not given the online vitriol he had suffered.

But Hughes, who was a bit niggly afterwards, would not win again in the City hot-seat before his exit just 11 days later.

SWINDON H, 1-0 (October 7)

Kevin McDonald all smiles before his first game in charge (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Three days on from the Welshman’s sacking and it was McDonald occupying the home dug-out at Valley Parade.

Fans had expected Mark Trueman to step up for his umpteenth spell in caretaker charge but instead Ryan Sparks had turned to the big Scot.

McDonald pushed his playing duties to one side to focus on reuniting team and fanbase against an in-form and free-scoring Swindon.

Trueman and Matt Derbyshire were able lieutenants on the sidelines as McDonald rallied his team-mates to a victory that revived Valley Parade’s spirits after the angst at the end of Hughes’ reign.

And it helped the cause that Bobby Pointon, one of three changes he made, should score his first goal for the club he followed as a season-ticket holder in the Kop.

WREXHAM A, 1-0 (February 10)

Andy Cook missed a penalty but then scored the winner (Image: Thomas Gadd)

This was without doubt the most unexpected result of City’s campaign; a glorious example of how football can defy logic at times.

The Bantams had gone eight without a win in the league, a barren run stretching back to before Christmas.

Wrexham, on the other hand, boasted a near-impregnable home record for the previous two-and-a-half seasons.

But they hadn’t reckoned on bogey man Graham Alexander.

His MK Dons side had won a wild encounter 5-3 to herald Wrexham’s return to the EFL on opening day.

And he was celebrating again after City dug in deep to come away with a memorable success.

Having blunted Wrexham’s much-vaunted attack – and the Exocet throw-ins of Ben Tozer – the visitors seemed to have blown their chance when Cook’s late penalty was saved.

But that just got him riled and moments later, he bustled through to force the ball home for the only goal.

MK DONS H, 4-0 (February 13)

Clarke Oduor slots home City's fourth on a rampant evening (Image: Thomas Gadd)

And that set it up nicely for Alexander to get one over the club that had sacked him after just 16 games in charge.

Alexander insisted he “hadn’t been there long enough” to have any thoughts of revenge.

Believe that or not but the City boss certainly loved the way his team followed up the Wrexham win with a clinical display against another promotion contender.

The home fans sensed something special when Matty Platt opened the scoring with a thumping strike.

Calum Kavanagh then got his first for the club before Cook and Clarke Oduor scored two in a minute straight after half-time to record the biggest home win of the season.

ACCRINGTON A, 3-0 (March 9)

Tyreik Wright shows home fans the score after his second (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Nobody walking away from a bouncing away terrace at the Wham Stadium could possibly picture the spectacular implosion that would follow.

Those 11 days of March madness with four defeats were the furthest thing from anyone’s mind after the Bantams had dominated in east Lancashire.

This was the afternoon that Tyreik Wright properly announced his return after his second loan spell had been held up by injury.

The contest was done after 38 minutes by which time City were 3-0 up and coasting.

Wright helped himself to the first two goals before Cook got in on the act as he latched onto a defender’s error.

Five points off the play-offs with two games in hand, what could possibly go wrong?

WALSALL A, 3-2 (April 20)

Andy Cook heads home and the City comeback is underway (Image: Thomas Gadd)

City had come from behind to win for only the third time when they beat Salford the previous week.

They then repeated the trick even more impressively on a bonkers afternoon in the Black Country.

It looked to be a case of “same old City” when Walsall, chasing a win to move into the play-offs, scored twice early on.

The visitors had barely had a kick up to that point. But it all changed when Cook netted his fourth goal in five attempts against his old club.

He then set up Jamie Walker to head the equaliser – and the Scot lashed home another early in the second half to give the Bantams a shock lead.

Walker was then sent off for two nothingy yellow cards, leaving City’s 10 men to defy a Walsall barrage for the final quarter of the game and hang on for a remarkable result.

TOMORROW: The six games that cost City the play-offs.