BILLY Knott gave everyone a giggle with a good-natured dig at the 2013 "old timers" in the City ranks.

Knott, talking to fans at the Record Cafe just up the road from Valley Parade last week, was describing the seating arrangements on the team coach for away games – and how the veterans of three seasons ago stuck together on the same table to reminisce about the "good old days".

The midfielder, very much one of the boys on the back-seat, laughed at the likes of Rory McArdle, James Hanson, Stephen Darby and Kyel Reid always bringing up their Wembley past.

McArdle broke into a broad smile when he heard of it and said: "We might bang on a bit but we're not that old! Billy is being a bit cheeky and making more out of it than what it is.

"But it does come up every now and then. When Wembley gets mentioned, we always say it's nice to play when it's 80,000 there...

"I usually sit next to Hans, although you don't get much elbow room, Darbs is there and now Reidy is back.

"I signed at the same time as Darbs and new lads tend to knit together, while Hans has been here forever. We've always known each other, so that's where we've always sat.

"When Reidy came back in, we were the only lads left (from before). He knew us so just slotted in – although he sits down with headphones on all the time anyway!

"But it's just a bit of craic with Billy and he's good to have around the place. He's never quiet and has got plenty of things to keep bringing up, like his Leeds goal and how he used to be at Chelsea."

Spirits within the camp are predictably high with City currently enjoying a terrific run towards a League One play-off finish.

Behind the wisecracks, there is a steely determination to see the job through. The prospect of stepping out at Wembley for the third time as a Bantam – and fourth in his career – remains a very realistic goal for McArdle.

He said: "It is there with the run we're on at the minute. Performances have been solid and the clean sheets are still coming.

"The great thing for anyone who finishes in the play-offs is that you're ultimately three games away from getting promotion.

"And if you were guaranteed promotion and had the choice, you'd do it at Wembley. As we've shown, it's a great day out and the celebrations after are always good."

That past experience of the national stadium, which Knott was having a fun jibe at, could ultimately come in very handy.

You saw the difference when City went back to Wembley for the Northampton game three months after the Capital One Cup final. The hunted against Swansea turned into ferocious hunters for the League Two showdown.

McArdle said: "As Knotty keeps saying, in that year we had the League Cup final which was a great day out and everyone treated it like that.

"When we came to the play-off final, we didn't need a day there to have a look round. It was just like another game.

"That showed on the pitch with how well we started and after half an hour the game was pretty much over.

"It does have a big effect. It's a big old stadium and for anyone who's not been there before, it can be quite daunting.

"We're quite fortunate with the lads who've been involved here or played in big games elsewhere, so the experience is there. It's something we need to use."

Now over his dislocated shoulder, McArdle is waiting for his chance as City continue to grind out the results.

He is well-versed in what it takes at this stage of the season. Before arriving at Valley Parade, he was involved in two play-off campaigns at Rochdale – scoring a Wembley goal in their 2008 final defeat to Stockport – before winning automatic promotion two years later.

The defender said: "It's just all about results now. Regardless of performances and if they are scrappy '1-0ers', you just want to keep building that momentum.

"You need that going into the play-offs. We've proved over the course of the season that we can be solid and keep clean sheets as well as score goals. We know we've got the tools there."

And, who knows, City could be on the verge of creating more special memories on the stage jokingly renamed Bradford South in 2013. Then the newer generation of team-mates will be able to join in the banter on the bus.

McArdle laughed: "Knotty might like to have a little dig but everyone will be happy if we can get another Wembley appearance under our belt.

"Next season it will give him something else to talk about – and if any new lads come in, he can then say 'how good was last year'!"