THEY made history in 2013 by becoming the first fourth-tier club to reach a major cup final at Wembley. Three months later they returned to win promotion.

RICKY RAVENHILL continues our series on City team-mates with his take on the players from the unforgettable season.

JON McLAUGHLIN

He was a bit of a posh boy who didn’t fit the football stereotype. He was an intellectual, well brought-up lad and I was surprised he never ended up being a professional tennis player or something like that!

He was a quite-mannered lad who enjoyed all the banter in the dressing room even though he was different in a way. He thrived off the lads messing about and having a laugh.

Jon was a model pro you knew you could rely on. The keepers come in with all the gear in massive bags and he’d be there every day with all this stuff never letting anyone down.

I’m not surprised he’s gone on to do as well as he has because the attitude and ability he showed in training and games was second to none.

MATT DUKE

Dukey is a really good friend of mine. I’ve known him a number of years and we used to travel in together.

He’s the type of guy you can rely on for anything, whether it’s football-related or not. He’s got a really dry sense of humour and is always up for the craic.

The two keepers pushed each other really well and that’s why they split the season 50-50. They were good friends and trained hard together.

Neither could rest on their laurels. Most League Two clubs can’t carry two good keepers and usually have a back-up just covering numbers.

We were lucky enough to have two number ones and it’s a credit to the club that they could keep them both happy.

STEPHEN DARBY

I’d played with Darbs at Notts County before Bradford and knew exactly what sort of character he was.

He gave his all in everything he did and left no stone unturned, wanting to achieve what he could.

Darbs was a solid guy and tough in the tackle. He was slight in stature like myself but nobody got past him.

He was a really good defender and brought a lot to the team that year – and was over the moon to get his one goal!

We all know about the battle Darbs is going through now but if anyone is going to face it head on, he’s the guy. That’s just how he is in football and in life.

RORY McARDLE

A proper Sheffield lad, down-to-earth and always up for the banter. Another infectious guy to have round the dressing room.

Rory fancied himself as one of the better dressers in the group but that was debatable. He’d make an effort most days and bring in some of his decent gear – he thought he looked good but I’m not sure if anyone else did!

He was a solid centre back and would always chip with his fair share of goals. He loved that little near-post run from a corner and made it his own.

He scored against Villa in the home game and in the play-off final. He got big goals when we needed them.

ANDREW DAVIES

Let's be honest, he was quite a thick lad who would believe anything you told him! If you told him that he’d play better if he stood in a bucket of manure before a game, he’d go and do it.

He wasn’t the brightest but along with that, he was one of the funniest. I loved being around him.

Dava was always involved in any sabotage in the dressing room. If your trainers went missing or there were holes cut in your socks, he was the first person you’d have a word with.

It was probably because he spent that much time injured when we were training and got bored!

He was a top-class centre back who was really unlucky with injuries. His biggest thing was staying in the team.

If he could get full seasons under his belt, there’s no doubt he would have stayed at the higher level for longer.

LUKE OLIVER

His passion wasn’t really football unlike everybody else. He wasn’t your typical “this is what I’ve always wanted to do” kind of guy.

He had the talent and knew he could make money out of it as a career but he openly spoke that football wasn’t his be all and end all.

You don’t come across that to often because it’s normally what every kid wants to do. When he left, he just fazed out and found a new career.

On the back of that, he was more than just his size and stature. That’s what everybody spoke about but he delivered as well and was a very reliable defender.

He obviously won most things in the air but was comfortable with his feet for such a big guy.

CARL McHUGH

I remember him coming in from Reading as a young lad with no real experience under his belt.

He wasn’t getting in the team at the start and spoke to me a few times about it. He was a little bit frustrated and asked me for my advice as one of the more senior players.

We had a good few conversations about biding his time and just working hard and the chances would come.

He bought into that massively and proved his worth with what he could bring to the team. He probably couldn’t have imagined there would be such a transformation.

He ended the season with such vital goals and appearances that added to our success.

JAMES MEREDITH

Again, he wasn’t the brightest lad in the team. He used to walk round in his own little world.

We used to wear heart monitors on a Sunday, instead of bringing us in to do cooldowns. I don’t think Mez realised you could track everything that was going on.

He’d do it at 1am in the morning and didn’t know they could tell exactly what times it was happening. There was even a rumour that he put it on his dog one time!

He had an unbelievable engine as a full back, getting up and down the pitch. He’d put blocks in at one end and then be down the other crossing from the byline.

Mez was a great foil for Reidy and they had a great combination on the left side. I think he was the best full back in the league that year - when he was on his game there was nobody better.

Part two of Ravenhill's review of the 2012/2013 team is online tomorrow.