It’s traditional as another year winds to the end to look back on some of those memorable moments of the previous 12 months.

When you’re talking Bradford City matches, that can often mean plenty of barrel-scraping – especially if you want to get past three or four.

It’s fair to say we haven’t been overloaded with happy times in recent seasons.

But look back on 2012 – the second half of it at least – and suddenly you’re spoilt for choice.

Whatever transpires between now and the final game of the campaign on April 28 – or maybe the play-offs the following month – there have already been stand-out moments that nobody will forget for a long time.

In the case of a certain fixture on December 11, those who were there will remember and treasure it forever. It really was a case of Christmas coming a fortnight early.

So here’s my top ten run-down from Bradford City 2012.

10. CITY 3 CHELTENHAM 1, October 20

Cheltenham at home the previous season had been one of the lower points of Phil Parkinson’s reign. But the Bantams boss loved this one as his team showed bucketloads of fight to claw their way back against a promotion rival.

Going a goal down, City levelled by half-time and then scored two more in a riveting second half, capped with a superbly-worked first goal from left back James Meredith.

9. BRISTOL ROVERS 3 CITY 3, November 24

A draw away to a side at the wrong end of the table does not usually sound like a result to crow about. But factor in that City went behind three times in appalling weather and this was a classic example of a team refusing to quit.

Guy Branston, of all people, headed Rovers in front with his first touch for his latest club and only a minute gone. But every time the home side struck, back came the battling Bantams – and they had enough chances to have won it by the end.

8. NOTTS COUNTY 0 CITY 1, August 11

The Capital One Cup adventure began way back in the middle of the summer holidays. The league season did not kick off for another week as City took their first steps at League One Notts County.

Few gave them much of a chance of progressing past Keith Curle’s highly-fancied Magpies. But in a sign of things to come, City frustrated their hosts for 90 goalless minutes before James Hanson delivered the coup de grace early in extra-time with a superb curling finish from the edge of the box.

7. BARNET 0 CITY 4, February 28

Craig Fagan had a mixed time in his year at City but his performance up front at Underhill reeked of Premier League class.

Aided by Darren Dennehy’s early red card, the Bantams ripped their hosts apart with Fagan at the forefront. His penalty got the ball rolling on the way to as convincing an away win as you can get.

6. CITY 5 WIMBLEDON 1, August 25

Everything City touched seemed to go in during a dominant first half. The Dons were swept aside 5-1 – with all the goals flying in before the break.

There were five different scorers, including hapless Wimbledon defender Curtis Haynes-Brown on his loan debut from Yeovil. The day got worse for him as his afternoon ended early on a stretcher – but Dons boss Terry Brown still felt he was their best player.

5. WATFORD 1 CITY 2, August 28

City stunned Gianfranco Zola’s Championship side with a first ever win at Vicarage Road – and did it the hard way by coming from behind.

Kyel Reid levelled late on before Garry Thompson emerged as the 94th-minute hero with his first goal for the club. More from him later ...

4. NORTHAMPTON 1 CITY 3, April 14

Nahki Wells, pictured below, scored the club’s first hat-trick since the days of Peter Thorne to rubberstamp their survival in League Two.

Last season was a difficult one for all concerned but Wells removed any lingering nerves about safety with a clinical poaching display on his favourite away ground.

3. CITY 3 BURTON 2, September 25

Some defenders have got a reputation for scoring goals – Stephen Darby is not one of them.

But the right back burst from the shadows as the unlikeliest hero with a 25-yard blast in extra-time to seal a memorable fightback.

City were staring down the barrel at 2-0 with only seven minutes of the Capital One Cup third round to go. But substitute Nahki Wells rattled in a quickfire double to force the added half-hour – and Darby’s right foot did the rest.

2. WIGAN 0 CITY 0 (won 4-2 on pens), October 30

More than 5,000 fans travelled across the Pennines to see City tackle their first Premier League opposition for seven years.

The loss of both centre halves and Kyel Reid against Burton three days before had seemingly killed off any hope of an upset. Only nobody had told the team.

Roared on by their army of supporters, City matched the hosts for 120 goalless minutes before picking them off, inevitably, in the penalty shoot-out.

1. CITY 1 ARSENAL 1 (won 3-2 on pens), December 11

It wasn’t just a sold-out Valley Parade but a watching nation that witnessed the biggest cup shock of the lot. Arsene Wenger brought all his big guns but it was City who fired the first shot when Garry Thompson’s volley sent the place into raptures.

City were three minutes from a sensational win when Thomas Vermaelen headed the equaliser, the only time the defence switched off all night.

But once again, the underdogs negotiated the added half hour without a scare. And once again City were up to the spot-kick challenge, Vermaelen’s miss sending the club through to their first ever League Cup semi-final and two dates with Aston Villa.

That’s not a bad way to kick off 2013. And maybe this time next year we’ll be looking back on a first visit to Wembley since 1996 – or even more than one ...

Happy New Year!