OCTOBER was when the wheels started to fall off for City – and it began in front of the watching nation.

Sky’s cameras were at Valley Parade for a first league meeting between the Bantams and Harrogate.

With a two-week break behind them courtesy of Grimsby’s Covid lapses, Stuart McCall’s men were ready to impress on TV.

But it didn’t work out that way.

They were very much second best in a 1-0 defeat against a combative and enthusiastic opposition, whose previous appearance at City’s home had been for a West Riding Cup final against Eccleshill.

McCall felt the criticism that followed was an overreaction – even more so when the Bantams bounced back five days later to win comfortably at Mansfield.

It was a milestone moment as City claimed their first away win for 371 days since Gary Bowyer’s side had triumphed in the sunshine at Morecambe just over a year before.

McCall had declined to do any deadline-day business in the transfer window. He was happy to leave around a fifth of the £1.5 million salary cap untouched for a planned splurge in January.

That big call would hasten his downfall when injuries bit.

There was no hint of trouble ahead when City swept to a convincing victory at Field Mill, although it was followed by a much stodgier point at home to Walsall.

Then came the visit from Michael Flynn’s Newport – and the former Bantams skipper did his old friend no favours.

A ruthless 3-0 win for the Exiles highlighted City’s shortcomings; even more so when Lee Novak was struck down with a calf injury. The striker would miss the next seven weeks – returning for what would be McCall’s swansong at Oldham.

It was City’s heaviest home loss since March 2019 but Flynn offered some sympathy for McCall.

He said: “It’s never nice but I’ve seen enough quality in that Bradford squad and I know Stuart has got enough qualities. They will be fine.”

Wolves youngster Austin Samuels had arrived on loan after scoring for their under-21s at Valley Parade in the Football League Trophy.

McCall trumpeted his capture as the “final piece of the jigsaw” - but such a raw unproven striker rarely looked like fitting into an attack that would now be relying heavily on the experienced shoulders of Clayton Donaldson.

That decision to keep the powder dry at the end of the window was already coming back to bite.

City fired blanks again when they returned to the University of Bolton Stadium, the scene of their impressive Carabao Cup victory on opening day.

They fell behind to a comical goal after Elliot Watt sliced a clearance against his own bar. There was no way back despite dominating the second half.

Billy Clarke had salvaged a draw from the penalty spot against Walsall a week earlier but blew the chance to do it again with a weak spot-kick that was easily saved.

The Irishman held up his hand as his returned back over the Pennines empty-handed.

“I said in pre-season that if it’s not going well and the fans want to give someone stick, then I’ll take it if it means freeing up the other lads.

“The way the game was going, I score and I’m sure we’d have gone on to win that. I’ve got to take the brunt of that on my shoulders."

More away-day misery followed four days later as the pressure started to build.

A first visit to Barrow in over half a century saw City suffer another single-goal setback after Levi Sutton, who was only just back from injury, was sent off for a reckless challenge on the halfway line.

“There’s nobody feeling any worse at this moment in time," said his manager.

"Levi knows he’s let himself down and he’s let us down but it’s something he’ll have to get over.”

The Cumbrians celebrated their first home win since returning to the league while their victims fretted over another toothless outing.

McCall remained defiant as the criticism grew online from an increasingly-fractured fanbase.

“I looked at everybody in the eye in the dressing room and there are lads in there who have had the disappointment of relegation,” he said in the wake of the Holker Street loss.

“I’m not looking at them thinking we’re at that stage where you get used to losing. But what we need to do is get three points, no doubt about that, and put on a performance.”

It had been a chastening month.

HIGH POINT: City claimed a first away league win in over a year when they beat Mansfield.

LOW POINT: A heavy home loss to Newport was compounded with Lee Novak’s calf injury.

LEAGUE TWO: Harrogate H 0-1, Mansfield A 3-1, Walsall H 1-1, Newport H 0-3, Bolton A 0-1, Barrow A 0-1.

EFL TROPHY: Wolves H 1-1 (lost 5-3 on pens)