They should erect a new sign at the end of the M606: Welcome to Bradford, twinned with Wembley.

For the second time in less than three months, Phil Parkinson’s remarkable troops will be stepping out at the national stadium.

And this time who would dare bet against them?

The marathon that began 267 days ago at a basking Meadow Lane will finish on May 18 with game number 64 on the grandest stage of them all.

The fans had queued overnight for tickets to witness yesterday’s latest chapter in this incredible tale. They would not have swapped the long wait for anything.

These are great days to be a Bantams supporter. Just when you think this season cannot get any better, something else even more magical pops up.

Top scorer Nahki Wells scored twice; James Hanson clocked up a half-century of career goals with the sweetest finish of the bunch. But this was a victory built on courage and commitment across the pitch.

Only one team in the fourth tier had ever come back from losing the first play-off leg at home to go through – and Shrewsbury had needed penalties four years ago.

The Bantams emulated that feat without requiring a fifth shoot-out of their season and nobody could argue that they did not deserve it.

After the defensive woes from the first game, Andrew Davies came straight back in after his ban in place of Michael Nelson. Kyel Reid was also passed fit to start and Nathan Doyle returned to central midfield.

Burton boss Gary Rowett, unsurprisingly, stuck with the same line-up that had gained the advantage at Valley Parade.

Jacques Maghoma ran City ragged that night and immediately threatened to reprise the act from Burton’s first attack of the game before firing narrowly wide.

Davies wasted no time getting into Calvin Zola but Burton’s two-goal hero from Thursday seized on slack marking from a throw-in to hustle a shot off target.

The City centre half then got himself in the right place at the right time to block Alex MacDonald’s dangerous header after left back Anthony O’Connor had burrowed his way to the line.

Jon McLaughlin safely clutched Robbie Weir’s header as the home side continued to force the early pace.

But then just like Burton had done in the first game, City stunned their hosts by breaking the deadlock after 26 minutes thanks to an alert piece of anticipation from Wells.

Marcus Holness attempted to head James Meredith’s long ball back to his keeper but it fell short and the Bermudian was on it in a flash to guide past the stranded keeper.

With the away end in full voice, City came knocking once more and Wells was bundled over in the Burton penalty area as he reacted first to Hanson’s knockdown. But he was coming back from an offside position and the assistant’s flag was already up.

City’s tails were up but they still had to be wary of the home threat and McLaughlin beat out a well-struck Weir drive from the edge of the box.

Zola cleverly flicked the ball off the floor to release MacDonald but the winger was crowded out by three pink shirts as he advanced on goal.

Zola was once again a handful for City’s centre halves and rose to meet Damien McCrory’s free-kick right on half-time but his header lacked the oomph to worry McLaughlin.

But while Burton had created the bulk of the chances, City could look back on a first half well done to throw the tie right back into the melting pot.

Their attempts to do “another Blackpool” were certainly being aided by the din created by the 1,700 travelling fans, who made it feel like a City home game.

They got even louder five minutes after the break as the visitors doubled their lead – and edged ahead on aggregate for the first time.

It came from a tremendous strike by Hanson and his weaker right foot. The big man flicked on Rory McArdle’s clearing header and then capitalised on good strength by Wells, who held off Ian Sharps for his strike partner to beat Tomlinson with an angled drive.

Burton needed some inspiration and Maghoma quickly supplied it. A deft turn on halfway left Stephen Darby on his backside and the winger advanced on the City box before tumbling under Garry Thompson’s challenge from behind.

McLaughlin and Doyle were both booked for complaining before the keeper was beaten by Maghoma’s well-placed spot-kick despite going the right way.

Burton switched to 4-4-2 by bringing on Billy Kee but the sub striker was a distant spectator as City immediately restored the two-goal gap.

McLaughlin’s free-kick was flicked on by Hanson and Wells spun off Sharps to beat the diving Tomlinson with a bundled finish into the corner. It was nowhere near the quality of Hanson’s strike but meant just as much as the City end descended into bedlam.

The contest had become a wild shoot-out as Burton blasted back again. McLaughlin parried from Maghoma then MacDonald’s drive took a deflection into the side-netting.

Parkinson looked to steady the ship by replacing Reid with Will Atkinson. Nobody was too upset to see Zola going off for Burton as Michael Symes arrived to a chorus of “City reject”.

Nerves were fraying all over the ground and Parkinson ran on the edge of the pitch to complain that a handball should have been given against Anthony O’Connor in the Burton box.

The City boss was up again as Wells was tripped by Zander Diamond. But the foul was given right on the edge of the box as Diamond became the fifth player booked.

Wells was threatening to take on the Brewers backline single-handed and danced his way in once more, only for Damien to slide across and block the shot.

The rebound fell for Hanson, who could have sealed it with a fourth goal but lifted the ball over from 12 yards.

Fourth official Paul Tierney threw City a curve ball when the board flashed up with six minutes of stoppages.

But Hanson led the last-ditch defending in his own goalmouth to deny Diamond – nobody was going to spoil the party.