CITY are battle-hardened for the mental strain of the fight for League One survival, says David Hopkin.

The Bantams boss reckons his squad can tough it out through the tension of the remaining 10 weeks.

The final 13 games, starting with today’s critical trip to Walsall, will not be for the faint-hearted.

But Hopkin feels City have an advantage of those dragged into trouble because they are well used to the stress of being in the bottom four.

He said: “The mentality is very different from when I came in.

“Early on there was an acceptance from everyone (that things would go wrong), the fans, the players and that has changed.

“We had a fantastic December and started the second half of the season quite well. We’ve had one or two bad results but we’ve bounced back.

“We’ve been down there for most of the season and just playing catch-up all the time.

“But to be only a point away from four or five teams who, earlier in the season, were probably doing well has got to give us belief.

“We’ve got to believe that we have started to turn the corner.”

City have been in the relegation zone for all bar two games since the beginning of October. But Hopkin sees the fact they are still in the mix as a motivational tool to keep going.

He added: “It’s always difficult when you are down the bottom of the league.

“But I keep reiterating to the players we were seven points adrift of everybody. To come back from that was fantastic.

“We’ve had some good results which have managed to keep us among everything. Maybe it would have been easy before Christmas to have been away from it.

“We’ve kept positive and the players need to know they have my backing. I don’t get nervous or agitated and we’ve just got to make sure we keep going and pick up as many points as we can.

“Hopefully now we’ve got that chance to get out of the bottom four.”

City are behind Oxford and Shrewsbury on goal difference only, with Rochdale and Bristol Rovers a point ahead just above the bottom four. Walsall have two points more.

Hopkin said: “The players deserve great credit for changing the mentality.

“We try and play football in the right areas and take as many mistakes away from the teams as we possibly can. I think we have.

“Earlier on, there were games when we might have been winning 1-0 or 2-0 and you’re still wondering if it’s going to finish 2-2 or we’ll get beaten.

“But now when we do get in front, the players sense we can hold on to a game. We’re still creating chances – in the 94th minute against Plymouth we were still going.

“David Ball had a fantastic chance and the keeper did really well to close him down. It was hand ball (by the defender) but it happened that quickly nobody will have seen it.

“But we’ve had decisions like that right from the beginning. We could have another 10-12 points.

“But we’ve managed to stay positive and that’s the main thing now. We’ve got a difficult March coming up but the key is not to worry.”