ONE more measly point and City could have sneaked into the top seven.
There were plenty of moments that we can all look back on from the last season and think, “if only that had worked out differently”.
Here are six games that cost the Bantams their chance of reaching the play-offs:
SUTTON A, 1-2 (October 28)
Kevin McDonald had steadied the ship during his spell in caretaker charge after Mark Hughes was sacked.
Having started with three straight wins, the Scot engineered a notable 1-1 draw with Wrexham at a bouncing Valley Parade.
But a hefty midweek loss at MK Dons served as a reality check – and then came Sutton four days later.
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The bottom club had won only once since the opening day but pounced on weak defending to score early.
City improved after the break and Andy Cook levelled before hitting the bar with a thunderous volley.
But any hopes of a comeback win were snuffed out as a late Sutton winner produced joyous home scenes.
CREWE A, 0-1 (January 1)
City’s eight-match unbeaten run came to a frustrating end at Gresty Road on New Year’s Day.
Graham Alexander’s side controlled the game but Crewe took the victory from their only shot on target – a first-half penalty.
City did everything but score after that with Cook rattling the underside of the bar with a header which he claimed then bounced down over the line.
Other chances came and went as Crewe dug in with men behind the ball and Cook was frustrated by a stunning save from home keeper Tom Booth deep in added time.
CRAWLEY H, 2-4 (January 6)
Do the maths and this was THE result that did the damage.
Simply put, a draw from the first home game of 2024 would have been enough to see City finish above the club who would seal the final play-off spot.
It hurt enough at the time as the Bantams threw away a late lead to concede three times in a farcical 15 minutes.
They had trailed at the break before Liam Ridehalgh provided an unexpected equaliser with a cross that flew in for his first goal for the club.
Cook’s penalty then put them in front – only for Crawley to hit back as the game headed towards a lengthy stoppage time.
Things then went from bad to worse as the visitors went back in front with their own spot-kick before adding salt to City’s wounds with a fourth in the 100th minute.
COLCHESTER A, 1-1 (January 13)
More points went begging as City’s stodgy start to the new year continued in Essex.
Danny Cowley, a name strongly linked with the Valley Parade vacancy a couple of months before, was taking charge of the U’s for his first home game.
But there was no Colchester charge facing the Bantams who looked very comfortable against poor opposition.
After a slow start, Cook’s 13th goal of the season put City ahead with a snap-shot from inside the box.
Harry Chapman went close to a second as the visitors looked under no pressure.
But that changed when they ruined Sam Walker’s City debut against his old club with an equaliser against the run of play.
Richie Smallwood nearly found a late goal but it was two more points thrown down the drain.
FOREST GREEN H, 0-2 (March 12)
Beware the Ides of March! Julius Caesar’s soothsayers would have been hard pressed to predict the 11 days of madness that would kick off with Forest Green’s visit to Valley Parade.
The bottom club arrived for the first of three home games with City riding high following their weekend stroll at Accrington.
It looked the perfect opportunity to apply real pressure on the play-off teams for the first time.
Instead, Steve Cotterill’s side set the scene for the nightmare that would quickly unfold.
The signs were there from minute one as City coughed up a cheap corner straight from the kick-off – and then conceded from it.
Jamie Walker went closest to a second-half equaliser but the boos rang out after Forest Green added a second with a stoppage-time penalty after City were caught out on the break.
HARROGATE A, 0-3 (March 23)
If Morecambe and Derek Adams way back in August had been embarrassing, this was surely the biggest away humiliation.
Defeat in the Yorkshire derby put the lid on the four-game losing streak that would bite the Bantams in the final reckoning.
Harrogate’s three goals made it 13 conceded by City in that rotten run with just one at the other end.
The away fans turned with a vengeance after another insipid display and vented their anger at Stefan Rupp and Ryan Sparks.
City had started off okay but caved in once Harrogate got in front on 21 minutes. Tyreik Wright missed a huge chance to equalise straight afterwards but then that was it.
The visitors offered no further threat as the Sulphurites strolled to their sixth win in nine attempts against their “big boy” neighbours.
City had hit rock bottom in their season; thankfully results would swing dramatically the other way from that moment – although just not enough to sneak over the play-off line.
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