WE WILL be looking back at City’s season month-by-month over the next few weeks. Our review kicks off with when it all began back in September under Stuart McCall.

IT STARTED so promisingly for the Bantams with Carabao Cup success at Bolton.

Their first experience of the eery life behind closed doors turned out to be a hugely-positive one against a team heavily-tipped by the bookies for promotion.

Goals from Lee Novak and substitute Harry Pritchard gave McCall’s men a well-deserved 2-1 win – and a potential shot at Premier League champions Liverpool.

That was the prize on offer for the second-round winners – sadly, Lincoln had other ideas and smashed the Bantams 5-0 at Valley Parade.

Four of those Imps goals came before the break and McCall reacted by ditching defenders Tyler French and Ben Richards-Everton at half-time. It would not be the last time the centre half would be subbed so early.

On the league front, City’s initial taste of an empty Valley Parade ended in goalless stalemate – just as they had done on opening day the previous year.

Colchester, beaten play-off semi-finalists three months earlier, provided stubborn opposition in a poor game.

There were plenty more fireworks when City hit the road for a maiden trip to Forest Green. The long journey was also their first insight into Covid conditions for away teams.

McCall moaned about having to get changed in a storeroom where the music speakers were on full blast as he attempted a team talk.

There were at least some fans in the ground as the game doubled as one of the “pilot” events that was hopefully paving the way for a return of spectators across the country the following month.

A few hundred lucky locals provided some atmosphere – and there was also a small knot of Bantams followers taking advantage of a gap in the fence from a public footpath.

“Stuart, give us a wave” was a welcome chant at one point and the manager willingly obliged.

Nobody realised they would be the only City fans able to see any football live throughout the entire campaign.

They did witness a bizarre afternoon that exploded into life in the second half.

A dour first 45 minutes suggested there would be little to write home about – but that all changed once Novak took advantage of a mistake by former City loanee Luke McGee to put the visitors in front.

Forest Green soon levelled from a deflected free-kick and, within a minute, City’s problems increased with Anthony O’Connor shown a straight red card for a foul in the box.

But Carl Winchester, who had scored the equaliser, fluffed the resulting penalty – and it was the 10 men who struck the next blow as Elliot Watt’s free-kick from near the touchline fooled everybody to sneak in the far post.

Watt taunted the home fans in celebration but hopes of an improbable City victory became even more unlikely when Paudie O’Connor followed his namesake for an early bath.

Tempers flared after French appeared to be elbowed by Forest Green’s Eboue Adams. O’Connor rushed in and stuck his head into the face of the home midfielder, who theatrically threw himself over an advertising board.

McCall twice demanded an explanation from Adams about his reaction after the final whistle and was left muttering darkly about the response.

But it left City with all to do for the last 20 minutes, effectively half an hour with stoppages, and down to just nine men.

Novak volunteered as an emergency centre back as the grey shirts were pinned in their own penalty area by the onslaught that followed.

They hung on until the sixth minute of added time when Aaron Collins converted from a gap left by the hobbling Reece Staunton.

The youngster had been handed his chance from the first game by McCall and had not looked out of place. First-year pros Finn Cousin-Dawson, Kian Scales and Jorge Sikora also held their own in the EFL Trophy against a strong Doncaster.

Both O’Connors were missing when Stevenage arrived at Valley Parade to finish the month – and again City had to do it the hard way after trailing at the break.

But Novak continued his impressive run with a second-half double salvo to earn an opening league victory. Five points from three games – one gleaned with two men down – appeared a solid base to work from.

HIGH POINT: Winning at Bolton in the Carabao Cup on the opening day of the season.

LOW POINT: Conceding four before half-time in a home thrashing from Lincoln 10 days later.

LEAGUE TWO: Colchester H 0-0, Forest Green A 2-2, Stevenage H 2-1.

CARABAO CUP: Bolton A 2-1, Lincoln H 0-5

EFL TROPHY: Doncaster A 0-0 (lost 4-1 on pens)