CITY "should be kicking themselves" for not trying to sign Lee Gregory, according to former Halifax team-mate Matt Glennon.

Millwall hitman Gregory bagged his 25th goal of the season with the stoppage-time penalty last weekend at Gillingham which snatched fourth spot from City's grasp.

The Bantams kept a lid on the striker in the league encounters but will be well aware of his threat in Sunday's first play-off leg at Valley Parade.

Ex-City keeper Glennon reckons they should have paid more attention when he was scoring for fun in the fifth and sixth tier at The Shay. Gregory blasted 102 goals in 167 appearances for Halifax before Millwall snapped him up in 2014.

Glennon said: "We had a phenomenal two seasons together with promotion and then the play-offs. People must have been watching him banging in the goals.

"A few clubs around here will be kicking themselves. They would have got good service out of Lee.

"I'm sure Bradford were interested and I know Huddersfield were having a little look. Some players can't handle the next level and maybe people thought Lee couldn't step up.

"Then Millwall came in and he went for £250,000. That's not bad for a striker who bangs in that many.

"I think Millwall were about the right size for him to start with. He didn't want to get lost somewhere and not play – but he's gone there and done very well."

Lions boss Neil Harris has praised Gregory for playing through the pain barrier. His goal-scoring return last weekend came less than a fortnight after he had undergone a stomach operation.

Glennon is not surprised that he has become such a key player in their promotion push and explained: "Lee always worked his socks off from minute one to the end of the game and deserved all his goals.

"But he was also a good team player. He brought people into play, held the ball up well and never stopped working. We had some good lads whipping the ball in for him but he created a lot for himself.

"If you're going to stop him, don't let him pin you. He is such a strong lad and will bring the ball down and then turn away. You have to try to keep him high up the pitch and away from the play as much as possible."

Glennon, one of Stuart McCall's last signings at Valley Parade in January 2010, played 17 games for the Bantams before being released by Peter Taylor.

The keeper said: "James Hanson had just come from his supermarket job when I came to Bradford from Huddersfield. He's another lad who's worked hard to get where he has like Lee and Jamie Vardy, of course.

"I heard Vardy the other day making the point that clubs should start having a look lower down the leagues, rather than getting someone in from the fourth division of the Bundesliga. It's proved that the talent is there with Vardy, Hanson and Gregory."

Glennon admits it is tough to predict a winner between City and Millwall – or who will be lifting the play-off trophy at Wembley on May 29.

He said: "I don't think you can call it because both are on the crest of a wave. Barnsley are the same after spanking Wigan 4-1 and Walsall as well.

"It all comes down to who can hold their nerve. We've seen a few teams bottle it lately from the Premier League downwards and at this stage it's about who has the most players that can handle the pressure.

"But hopefully Bradford will win it. I'm sorry Lee but that's life."