JAMIE Lawrence is backing City to deliver the knock-out blow on boxing buddy Ricky Boylan.

Super-lightweight Boylan may be a massive Millwall fan but Bantams favourite Lawrence is confident he will be left on the canvas in the play-off final at Wembley.

The former Valley Parade midfielder has been good friends with Boylan since he got the 15-3 South London pro to train him for a stint of white-collar boxing.

He even got Boylan to sport a City top in his corner for the first fight.

Lawrence said: “I made them all wear claret and amber shirts and he probably hated it!

“Ricky’s a good pal and the tweets have been flying since we both got to the final. I’m surprised the proper Millwall fans haven’t started giving me abuse yet.

“We’ll probably meet up before Wembley and have a few beers. He fancies Millwall to win it, as he always does, but there’s no chance of that.

“I’m going with a pretty comfortable 3-1 for the Bantams.”

Lawrence was at City’s semi-final first leg with Fleetwood but missed the return because he was playing in a charity game back in London.

The teak-tough midfielder is thrilled to see former team-mate Stuart McCall pulling the strings so successfully during his second stint in charge.

He added: “We owe Millwall and the way we’re playing football this season will suit us more.

“Last year we sat back against them in the play-offs even away from home. We were losing and still only played one winger.

“Macca’s got us playing more expansively and the team are on the front foot. It’s all win, win because it’s more attractive to watch.

“You’re paying money to go to games and you want to be entertained. You don’t want to see route one football even though Parky (Phil Parkinson) went to Bolton and did a job there.”

Lawrence reckons Wembley’s wide pitch will be perfect for City’s style of play. Winger Mark Marshall, a player he has worked with at his fitness academy, can be the match-winner.

“It will suit Mark down to the ground with his energy,” he added. “The surface is massive.

“Get the ball out to him and everything is possible. Get him one-on-one and isolate the defender and he can do all sorts.

“But City have got a bit of everything in the team. They’ve got legs in midfield and a little bit of nasty streak to defend well.

“I also like the boy (Charlie) Wyke up front, who looks decent. He’s more mobile than James Hanson and fits in better with the way they play.”