STEPHEN Darby has welcomed City’s approaching fixture congestion.

Next week’s FA Cup replay has been added to the rearranged home clashes with Barnsley the following Tuesday and Southend on February 16.

And City still have to sort out a date to squeeze in the washed-out Boxing Day showdown with leaders Burton.

But skipper is happy to see the crammed schedule.

“The replay is another fixture to fit in,” he said. “But if you’re playing more games, it shows you must be doing something right.

“When the Bury game comes along, we’ll be really focused on getting into the next round.”

With Woodhouse Grove still out of action, assistant boss Steve Parkin believes playing extra matches is preferable for the players to training at different venues.

Darby added: “It has been unusual going to train at other places. But as players we have to be professional.

“We just have to get on with it and not make excuses and I think we’ve done that.”

The defender felt Saturday’s clean sheet was a proper response to letting in six goals in the away losses against Sheffield United and Gillingham.

“I thought we handled it well. We wanted to bounce back from those two defeats as quickly as possible.

“They hadn’t been good enough by any stretch of the imagination, we knew that, and it was important we got back to basics.

“We needed to start competing again and you could see that.

“Bury are a good side, the conditions were difficult and we had to be on it.

“Regardless of what game it is, it’s important you are focused and do the fundamentals right – the last couple of games we hadn’t done that.

“Having our fans at both ends of the ground blew my head off.

“The support that they give us is incredible. I’ve said it since I’ve been here.

“When you put on that Bradford City shirt, you know what’s required. They expect you to give 100 per cent for the club and that’s what we’ve got to do between now and the end of the season.”