Manager Ian Banks and stand-in club secretary Adrian Benson insist the Eagles have made massive strides over the last six months on and off the pitch.

The half-term appraisal from former Bantams player Banks, who was also assistant-boss to Nicky Law at Valley Parade, is positive.

He said: “We have a very young side with an average age of just over 20. They are still developing but can be together for a long time and I believe they will take us forward.

“It is always difficult at this level because you lose players for midweek games because of work commitments. When you have a couple of players out it makes a big difference and you don’t get the consistency.

“But we keep working away and I think we are steady. Things are going all right at the moment but we just keep our feet on the ground and quietly get on with it.”

Benson admitted there was still a long way to go but said: “On and off the field there has been a vast improvement and if we don’t go up this season, we will give it a good go next year.

“Ours is a tough league to get out of because I think all of the top half of the division would be quite at home in the Premier Division.

“Look at Tadcaster Albion and Brighouse Town, who went up last season. Both are doing exceptionally well.

“We put Brighouse out of the FA Vase and Liversedge, who are struggling a bit but are also in that higher league. We were beaten by Thackley in the West Riding County Cup but it was a good derby and we weren’t disgraced.

“We are a match for anyone in our league on our day and our games against local rivals in cup competitions have shown that we wouldn’t be out of our depth if we did go up.

“But Ian is right when he says that we lack consistency. That will come the more experience the players gain along the way.”